I do not own any of these characters unfortunately. Thank you to my three (now 5) betas and my psychologist consultant friend!

Malfoy was rolled off the train by a couple of the DA members, along with Crabbe and Goyle, and lay, slug-like on the platform, seething, with his luggage beside him. His eyes, which seemed to be on stalks, rolled around to locate anybody who might help them out of this predicament. To his confusion, he caught sight of his mother, Narcissa. She was looking for him, her expression a little uncertain, as she tripped along the platform in a short Muggle skirt. Actually he wondered if his eyes weren’t working properly – he had never seen his mother in a Muggle skirt. He wondered why she had come. The first time his mother had ever been to meet him from the train, and he resembled nothing so much as – well, he didn’t know what he resembled, but considering the amount of curses with which he has been hit, he bet he didn’t look that pretty. …Hopefully she wouldn’t recognize him… He felt himself being rolled over, and then he came face (if he still had a face) to face with Mrs. Weasley, of all people. Her eyes were snapping with indignation.

“Arthur, I have found them – I can’t think what those children were doing! You can’t even see these three are human. They look terrible. I’m not sure we are going to be able to de-curse them any time soon.� Malfoy looked around and couldn’t repress a snigger as he saw what Goyle and Crabbe looked like. Crabbe (at least he thought is was Crabbe) had a sort of slimy tail that he was flailing helplessly. The only thing that sobered him was the thought that he probably looked more or less the same.

Malfoy could hear Arthur Weasley, quieter, and more reasonable sounding, in a sort of mumble, “Well Molly dear, they were provoked….�

Mrs. Weasley cut in over him. “And provoking! Why couldn’t they just have Stunned them I’d like to know? It wouldn’t have been nearly as bad as this! Why, we may have to take them to St. Mungos to sort this lot out.�

Then Arthur, in a tone of reluctant admiration, “Beats me how they think of all they do. We never learned any of this stuff while I was in Hogwarts. I don’t recognize a couple of these curses.� Malfoy heard a squeal, which sounded a bit like Goyle. Mr. Weasley had obviously poked him with his wand. He heard a huff of breath, and knew Mrs. Weasley was about to retaliate. He shivered a little. Ron’s mother was rather scary when she got going. Hopefully it would only be Mr. Weasley she picked on. From the sound of things, Ron had got an earful earlier on, before he was sent back to the Burrow with Ginny. And serve him right too. Luckily, before Mrs. Weasley could start shouting at her husband, another sound made her pause.

Malfoy heard uneven steps coming along behind him, and vainly swiveled his eyes to see his mother. He heard a gasp, and his eyes rolled inwards on their stalks in shame. He could vaguely hear Mrs. Weasley trying to comfort his mother as she sobbed, which surprised him (he thought they couldn’t stand each other). But then again, who could ever understand women? Then things got a bit confused, but after a while, Arthur Weasley and a couple of porters heaved him into a taxi with his mother (he had the feeling he probably looked a bit like a suitcase now, and had no idea what had happened to Crabbe and Goyle) and he heard his mother give the directions to St. Mungos.

Later, looking like himself again, tall, blonde and debonair (if slightly sulky), he left St. Mungo’s Emergency Ward, and they took another Muggle taxi home. Malfoy sensed something different about his mother. For example: Muggle taxi. Hello? When had she started taking Muggle transport? What was wrong with the Floo system? He looked at her sideways, from time to time, trying to gauge what the difference was. Actually, it was quite interesting driving in a Muggle taxi through Muggle London, a place Draco had never been allowed to visit!

He had dreaded coming home with his father in Azkaban. The summer was bound to be boring, with Aurors keeping watch on the house, and he and his mother practically under house arrest, as everyone watched for signs of the Dark Lord. Crabbe and Goyle, with their limited imaginations, were quite content to go back home. They never did anything over the summer anyway, and would probably be quite happy under house arrest, so long as there were crisps and Muggle TV (which they both talked about ad nauseam, in spite of their anti-Muggle beliefs) available. Malfoy, however, sensed the degradation and humiliation keenly. Although he held his head high at Hogwarts even at the end of term, inside he felt bitter, betrayed and a little apprehensive.

He knew that the house had been searched, and a lot taken away. From his mother’s demeanor, she was taking things much better than he thought she would, unless it was a front. He wasn’t sure though, not having thought his mother capable of putting up a front. She looked the same, her pale hair twisted up in the elegant knot at the back of her head with not a strand out of place, but her cheeks were more flushed than he remembered, and her eyes brighter. However, there was no way he could talk to her yet – not in front of the Muggle taxi driver.

As they reached the Malfoy mansion, and got out, Malfoy noticed the armed guards at the entrance. As he and his mother paid for the taxi, a tall man stepped out of the shadows, and came to help with the suitcases. He was definitely an Auror. Just as a test to see what would happen, Malfoy moved his hand to his wand holster. He never got to it.

“Expelliarmus!� Before he had touched his wand, it had shot into the air, and was caught by another, shorter man, with fair hair, scars and blue eyes with laughter lines, although he was not smiling now. He walked over.

“Draco Malfoy.� His tone was forbidding. “I think I will take this wand. You may have it back if and when you return to Hogwarts.�

If? Draco stared at him, horrified. It had never occurred to him that he might not be allowed back. He looked at his mother, and saw she was definitely upset now. The delicate flush had faded from her cheeks, and the pearls at her throat moved quickly. She put out her hand, pleadingly.

“Peter, please……. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet. Just give us some time!� Draco was completely taken aback when his mother crossed over to the fair man, and laid a hand on his arm. For a moment there seemed to be a resemblance between the two. Draco shook his head to clear it. He was obviously going insane. There could be no resemblance between the delicate Narcissa Malfoy and this scarred warrior.

Peter shrugged. “I am sorry Narcissa, but I am going to have to keep the wand.� He looked over at Draco. “Beautiful piece,� he said briefly, “I’ll keep it safe for you.�

Draco bit down hard on his lower lip, until he could taste blood. There were too many Aurors around for him to start a brawl, especially wandless. He held his head up, and let his eyelids droop scornfully. “As you wish.� He was rather pleased with the tone of voice. The drawling sarcasm sounded like his father. His mother gave the man called Peter a last look, and tripped up the stairs to the house with amazing balance, seeing as she wore ice-pick Muggle heels. A fashion Draco actually liked. Anything that caused discomfort to Muggle women, while at the same time enhancing their appearance, he approved of, and he bet his mother’s insteps really hurt. Draco inclined his head slightly to the two men in a regal fashion, and not making any move to pick up any of the baggage, followed his mother up the stairs.

Behind him the taller of the two Auror’s gave a whistle. “Arrogant little brat……just like his father! Well, this should be a fun summer job!� He hefted the two suitcases as if they were feathers, and turned to walk up the steps. The Auror called Peter used a levitating charm on the third, and followed. “I don’t know. I think the kid is headed for some very hard changes. I wouldn’t be too rough on him, Martin.�

Inside, Draco followed his mother. As he went, he looked around to see what had changed. All the dark furniture and pictures he remembered had been stripped from their places. The house seemed more spacious and light. He noticed with a start the rich blue cushions in various shades that covered the white living room furniture. A large, gaily colored print of sunflowers hung waving above the fireplace, replacing the portrait of his father that had hung there, and a blue vase and cheerful tulips had replaced the diseased hand that had taken pride of place in the middle of the mantel. He stopped in the living room, looking around, rather stunned. As a young child his house had positively scared him with its nagging, critical portraits and infestations of Dark creatures. But now it did not look like home. Narcissa went through to the kitchen, for a few minutes, and when she came back with a tray, she caught him examining the print.

“They took away practically everything belonging to your father. I think they were looking for Portkeys or something. This is the stuff I had before my marriage. It was in storage�. She gestured vaguely with her hands, and then sat down on the sofa, sliding a butterbeer over to the other side of the table for him. “Draco darling, we need to talk.�

Draco nearly dropped the butterbeer he had bent to pick up. Narcissa had spent the years he was alive systematically ignoring his existence as much as she was able, apart from perhaps the regular weekly package of sweets and cakes (though he strongly suspected these had been sent by the house elves). He never once remembered hearing an endearment from her. He looked up at her with deep suspicion, and it crossed his mind that the Imperious Curse might be controlling her. Slowly, and warily he sat opposite her, ready to move if she pounced. She looked very different still, and it suddenly occurred to him that she looked happy. He had never seen his mother truly happy. Her face again was flushed, and her smile seemed genuine. She was nervous though. Her hands clasped, and unclasped. He could not know how unnerving this was for her, sitting opposite her almost estranged son with his unnatural self-possession and suspicious but hooded gray eyes, so exactly like his father’s.

**********************************************

Later Draco sat on his own in his room, trying to make sense of the confusion into which his mother had thrown him.

They were poor – as the proverbial backstreet witch peddling love potions to squibs. All his father’s accounts at Gringotts had been frozen. He was reduced to Weasley status. It was more galling than he could ever have imagined. And he was growing out of his dress robes. However the money situation he had been afraid of – the rest was unexpected, and therefore worse.

Firstly, his mother was thrilled that his father was in Azkaban.

“The only reason I stayed was you Draco,� his mother told him softly. “I wasn’t allowed to have anything to do with you but I couldn’t bear to leave. I know I am not brave, and that I should have protected you more, but I am not as strong as your father is. Oh Draco!� Tears rolled down her cheeks now, “ You can’t imagine what it did to me, seeing you turn eagerly towards the Dark Lord, always trying to please your father.� She twisted the ring on her finger, and her mouth trembled a little. “I never could please him, whatever I did. I loved your father so desperately when I married him, but I was so very young. When you came along, he was happy for a few months, and then it started again. Nothing I could do was right. And he started to bring his friends over.� She clenched her fists very hard, her eyes very bright. “I hated Tom Riddle!� (Here she had to wait while Draco choked on a sip of butterbeer). “Riddle used to visit us when we were first married, and I could feel him getting a grip on your father then, but I never knew what to do about it. And then when Lilah left, it was all over! Lilah was the only person who was ever able to manage him. He became hard on you – so very hard. And when you started school it was worse. He didn’t want you to grow up to be anything less than he is now.�

Draco put his butterbeer down, his hand actually trembling. Most of the time it was as if Lilah had never existed, but here was his mother talking about her quite happily.

For eight years now, nobody in the Malfoy family had mentioned Lilah, except once. He had done so accidentally, when he was ten, and couldn’t bear her being gone any more. He had received a rare beating from his father for that. Lucius hated all forms of weakness.

His mother was carrying on, unaware how much she had stirred up in him.

“But in the end, we all make our own choices. I know I have not been a good mother for you, but think, Draco! Don’t throw your life away, and shut all humanity out of your heart! I want so much for you to be happy.�

She sounded like Happy Harriet from Witching Hour. Quite frankly, Draco found her loyalty to him nauseating – he felt guilty at the fact that she had obviously stayed in a pretty terrible marriage to be near him, and he was still feeling sick at hearing Lilah’s name spoken in that fashion. He knew his mother had never really liked Lilah, and had resented the attention his father paid her, but Draco himself had adored her.

Lilah had been eight when he was born, a child that Lucius had ‘adopted’ at the age of four. Some said she was the result of an affair in his younger days, but where she came from only Lucius knew, and he was not telling. Lilah had been brought up as a Malfoy, and bore a striking resemblance to Lucius. Lucius had married the young Narcissa two years after Lilah had come to live with him. Draco could remember Lilah vividly. She had been the most wonderful thing in his life when he was little.

Later on, when he was older, he lived for the summers when she returned from Durmstrang, and filled the house with sunshine. He could still remember that terrible summer, when he was eight. She had got back from Durmstrang and announced over dinner to Lucius that she had a new, Muggle-born boyfriend who she had met on a town visit. The new boyfriend lived in London, they had been corresponding and she wanted to see him over the summer. She had been confident; her face beautiful and spirited, expecting that, as always, she would be able to wrap Lucius around her little finger. When she left, weeping and sore from the beating Lucius had administered her, she had not even been able to say good-bye to him. His father had held Draco back, as if Lilah was suddenly contaminated, while the little boy sobbed. Draco had received his first beating later, for crying. Draco had hated Muggles viciously after that. Muggles were not only the reason the wizarding world lived in hiding, they were the reason Lilah had left them, and the reason he had been beaten.

Draco got up and moved to the window, fixated on the one point in the conversation that had stirred him most.

“Lilah did not leave. She was thrown out.� He could hear his voice was harsh. “She was sixteen, and Father threw her out into the street. You didn’t stop him.�

His mother held out her hands, pleadingly. “I couldn’t. She was his responsibility, not mine. And she had a Muggle boyfriend. There was nothing I could do. I couldn’t interfere.� She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself.

Draco listened unmoving, lip curled. To be honest, he did not know what he thought of the woman sitting telling him this. It came to him that his father had taught him to despise her, in a way. She had been such a nonentity in their lives.

After Lilah left, Lucius had lavished all his affection on Draco. It had been the two of them, and Narcissa had not really been part of that. Draco had been spoiled and indulged and made much of. The little boy had been taken along to all his father’s meetings and spoiled by all his father’s friends too. He was handsome and intelligent and well liked. He adored his father, admired him immensely and tried to be as like him as possible. It did not last.

After Draco had started Hogwarts, Lucius had become increasingly displeased with him. He still pandered to his whims and encouraged his whining, but was furious that Hermione Granger, a mere Muggle, had consistently better marks than him, and even more annoyed that Draco was not able to beat Harry Potter at Quidditch, even with the expensive brooms with which he had supplied Slytherin. He began to see Draco as weak, and tried to correct his behaviour by being harsh, and then cruel. Draco still tried his hardest to capture the attention and approval of his father, the man he admired most of all, but rarely managed.

Then Narcissa, now looking shy, a little coy, and very happy, confided a long kept family secret that had been hushed up. Not even Lucius knew. Her father, Draco’s grandfather, had had an affair with a Muggle woman before Narcissa was born. The result had been a baby boy. It transpired that he was now an Auror and working at the castle. Draco had not been mistaken when he had seen a resemblance between his mother and the Auror Peter. Draco listened to her burble and gush about how wonderful it was that she had found Peter (“My older half-brother!�), while his spine felt as if insects were crawling up it. Muggles in the family? Everybody had family skeletons, but this? His Grandad had an affair with a Muggle? Even a werewolf would have been better than this. It made him want to throw up. The only reason he didn’t crawl under the sofa and expire was the undeniable fact that his mother was happy. She was shining with happiness, and Draco, even though he found himself ambivalent about how he felt about her found that he did not want to stop her shining. So he stretched his mouth into what was supposed to be a smile (it was almost as frightening as Snape’s) and imagined Ron spitting slugs for all he was worth to keep it there.

Then Peter had come in. He had asked a few innocuous questions in an attempt to be friendly but Draco took them personally, and, after dinner, since Peter was obviously going to stay for a while, he ostentatiously pulled a book on Occlumency from the family library shelves (which were very depleted, with his father’s prized collection of Dark Arts books gone), and holding it up so that Peter was able to see the title, he read – all evening.

By that time, he was so fed up with people being happy that he wasn’t pretending to be happy himself any more. Draco, feeling mixed up and miserably confused, was doing what he did best when he didn’t get his own way: sulking.

Draco pushed his trolley onto Platform 9 ¾. He was early, and was hoping to get a carriage on his own. Unsurprisingly – although before this summer he had truly expected it – he was not a prefect. He had been passed over in favor of Blaise Zabini. He knew, because Peter had given him snippets of information here and there. After two weeks of nagging and whining about Peter’s presence, Draco had been forced to see that his mother was immune to that form of blackmail when his father wasn’t around. Peter had been asked in every evening to dinner, and when Draco finally threw a tantrum (never known to have failed before) he was sent to his room, like a nine year old. The experience was galling, but his mother had a wand, and he didn’t.

Owl post had been extremely limited, with all mail examined beforehand, and he had not been able to contact Crabbe and Goyle. The first night, he had put his head out of the window in his room to check the air, and had seen Aurors everywhere. Just to make sure, he had opened his window slyly after dark, and pushed out a stuffed owl he had had for years. Sure enough, before it had fallen two feet, it was intercepted by a spell. After that, whenever he had been more than particularly bored, Draco had pushed a stuffed toy, or an item of clothing out of the window with a note attached, “Suckers!� being the most harmless. No copy of the Daily Prophet had been allowed into the house either, so he didn’t have a clue what was going on. He supposed in case the Dark Lord tried to insert a coded message or something. Like he was going to do that.


Draco was still confused at the end of summer. He had treated his mother with a sort of frozen politeness. He hadn’t really wanted to – he would have given almost anything to have the sort of relationship with her that Ron Weasley had with his mother – but after sixteen years of neglect, it was difficult to know how else to react. He also wasn’t entirely sure he had forgiven her, or even if he liked her that much. It pretty much made him feel guilty and hounded all summer, as she seemed to think they would suddenly develop the ideal mother/son relationship, which was hideously embarrassing to say the least. To be honest, Muggle or no Muggle, he preferred Peter’s company. Yes, Peter had turned out to be a fairly decent bloke in the end. He stood none of Draco’s nonsense, which Draco secretly admired, and managed to win arguments without resorting to bribery or force, as his father had. Neither did he ever give in to blackmail. After resenting this for a while, Draco found that it was something else about Peter that he admired.

Peter was patient, enduring Draco’s sullen fits cheerfully and not seeming to hold them against him. He was interesting, and when Draco eventually did begin to talk to him, always seemed to have time to spare to discuss all manner of things that Draco had never been able talk about with his father. His father told him what to think, and brooked no questioning.

In fact, it may have been one of the first times Draco had really been able to discuss anything properly. He didn’t have any friends. One could hardly discuss anything with Crabbe and Goyle, and Pansy, although a fairly satisfactory girlfriend, had known better than to contradict any of his views on life, love and the universe. In fact, Draco didn’t know if Pansy actually had any opinions – he had certainly never let her express them if she had.

Talking to Peter was illuminating as well as frustrating. Peter had pointed out that he could well be called upon to kill somebody in cold blood – perhaps even Hermione Granger – as proof of fidelity to the Dark Lord. Draco truly despised the bushy haired girl, but the thought of actually killing someone he knew in cold blood turned him sick to his stomach – not that he admitted that to Peter. It was the reason that he had advised Hermione to make herself scarce at the World Quidditch Cup. Some of the other pure-bloods with him in his group had been a bit annoyed – it would have been better to inform the marching Death Eaters of her presence. Hermione was disliked not only because she was Muggle born, but also because she was such an insufferable know-it-all, and some of the other Slytherins would have been only to happy to have her swing upside down displaying her knickers in public.

Liking Peter so much was a surprise, and made Draco rethink some of his reactions to Muggles, and also to his father. He could see now that he was older, that he had blamed Lilah’s boyfriend unfairly for Lilah leaving home. After all, in other families, wizards married Muggles all the time, and their fathers didn’t beat them and throw them out. Overcoming years of bitter prejudice that had been imprinted in an eight year old brain was not easy though, and Draco had been indoctrinated from birth to believe in the superiority of pure blood.

However, if anybody at Hogwarts got to hear about Draco having a Muggle relation, even an illegitimate one, their lives were not going to be worth living. Draco had been too outspoken against Muggles in the past to suddenly own up to fraternizing with them over the summer. He could imagine the sneers. So although he talked to Peter often, he never did so in a friendly fashion, and lost no opportunity to poke fun at him, or give him a hard time.

The only sensation he had regarding his father was a curious relief at his absence, and a buried hate with regard to his attitude to Lilah, which Draco had guiltily hidden from himself for years. Now he could see that he had been frightened, and it did not make him feel brave or debonair. Other people went and fought Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic for people they believed in, and he hadn’t even stood up for his adopted sister. He knew that this was because he had been eight, and terrified of his father, but it did not make him feel good about himself. Between feeling guilty, miserable and inadequate, he had quite a horrible summer – so nothing had really changed, except that it was horrible in a different way this time, and there was Peter to pick on and shout at when things got too bad. He picked on Peter a lot.

Going back to Hogwarts was taking all his courage. He couldn’t bear the thought of the gloating that would certainly be going on from the Gryffindor table. He threw his things onto the train on the second empty compartment, and put his bags into the rack. He had just settled himself with a book, when he saw the Patil sisters on the platform. He watched idly. Both girls, if anything, were more stunning than the year before – and Draco had watched them both then. Every boy at Hogwarts watched the Patil sisters. They were, after all, the most attractive girls in the year. Padma was with a tall dark boy in a turban, and Parvati made a third wheel. Watching, Draco’s lip curled. He did not like Parvati. She had stuck up for the Gryffindor idiot the time the loser had crashed his broom and lost his Remembrall. Draco had never fathomed why Neville had been allowed to come to Hogwarts, since he was practically a Squib. Since then, Parvati had crossed Draco many times – almost as many, in fact as Dumbledore’s Golden Three. She was almost as insufferable a know-it-all as Hermione, and was flaky besides, as was evinced by her addiction to Divination. Padma was more studious, her doe eyes softer, and her voice calmer, although she was equally flaky. However, Draco did notice the long hair in a black pigtail that snaked down Parvati’s back to her backside (a very trim backside actually, outlined very satisfactorily by the jeans), and the gold drops at her ears. She was wearing Muggle clothes, blue jeans and a green T-shirt that made her skin glow almost golden, (her nails were painted to match) while Padma wore a bright blue salwar kameez, embroidered all over with silver, and a darker blue scarf. Draco sneered unconsciously and then lost sight of her as she and Parvati boarded the train. They passed his compartment, and as Parvati saw him, she flared her nostrils, and turned away with a grimace. Padma didn’t even glance his way.

As the train filled up, Draco got his wish. Nobody joined him in his compartment. He stared at his book, but it didn’t stop him watching. Even Pansy Parkinson, gorgeous in pale blue walked past his compartment, head bowed, pale golden hair falling down her neck, only a sidelong glance betraying the fact that she had seen him. Her parents although they leaned to the Dark side were not Death Eaters. She had not owled him once since the start of the holidays, and that did grate. She was supposed to have been his girlfriend. From being distinctly pug faced when they had first started Hogwarts, she had grown into rather a beauty, with a tip tilted nose, and wide blue eyes. Draco wondered if he should go out and call to her, but he really couldn’t be bothered.

Harry Potter and Ron, he saw through the window as they joined the train further down. Harry looked as if he had grown up a lot during the summer, and Ron no longer looked carefree. His young face seemed sterner somehow. His pockets still bulged with sandwich packets though. Some things never change. Draco had decided to go hungry rather than ask for money, or take sandwiches. He watched as Mrs. Weasley hugged both Ron and Harry tightly. Ron looked awkward towering over his mother, but Harry gave her a huge hug. Draco wondered sarcastically for a minute if there had been a superglue accident. Perhaps Harry fancied Mrs. Weasley! Ginny was next to Harry. It looked like they might be an item, but then Ginny had always hung around Harry like that, looking like she might be his item. Draco tried to sneer, but he felt odd. Maybe it was loneliness. When he walked down the train later (more out of curiosity as he had not seen many people than because he needed anything) he noticed that all the compartments were full – some of them to bursting. Yet his was empty. He walked back to it, passing the Weasel, Potter and the Mudblood on the way, all reunited in their sickening little saintly group of three (no intruders, please!). He made a face as he passed. Unsurprisingly the Potter leapt forward, face thunderous, and equally unsurprisingly, the others restrained him. Draco pretended not to notice, not sure what to do or say if he did. It wasn’t as easy to be snide when you knew that the people you were taunting had more than enough ammunition to come back at you, and you had no thugs to cover your back. He bet everybody had heard of his altered circumstances. Probably going around the train that Malfoy was as poor as a Warlock on Welfare. Also Ron was getting as big as a tram, and it looked to be all hard muscle. Probably all the manual labour he had to indulge in during the summers, fixing his tumbledown house. In fact, Crabbe and Goyle might have a hard time taking him now.

When he passed a car full of Slytherins, including Pansy, Draco slid the door open. Immediately there was silence, and he sensed they had been talking about him, which was disconcerting. He sneered, his eyelids lowered and his gray eyes fierce. “Pansy, come here,� he commanded. Pansy immediately started to get up, looking stricken, her blue eyes large in her pale face, but Blaise pulled her down protectively.

“She’s with me Draco. Leave her alone!�

Draco moved his hand to his wand, and he was gratified to see the consternation on the Slytherins’ faces. He may have ruled as Most Popular Slytherin in part because of his father’s money and favored position with the ministry, but his father would have been less than pleased if he had occupied any other than the top position in his dorm, and his skill with the wand was famous among Slytherins. His compelling personality, with hints of cruelty and the backing of Crabbe and Goyle had helped too. None of the Slytherins in the car were comfortable. They were frightened of him, but he did not have his henchmen with him. He decided that discretion really was the better part of valor, before they realized that he was without these doughty two, gave the Slytherins assembled a smirk guaranteed to make their blood turn cold, and turning on his heel, strode out.

He had expected some ostracism, but only from the Gryffindors and maybe a few of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. He had definitely not expected to find it in his own house. He guessed now that He Who Must Not Be Named had come out of hiding and declared hostilities, none of them wanted to be too overtly friendly with the son of a Death Eater under Dumbledore’s nose. At the end of the year, he had been the Slytherin leader. Now, it seemed, he was nobody.

He looked into the other carriages, but there was no sign of Crabbe and Goyle. He wondered if they had been expelled, and was rather surprised that he had been allowed back to Hogwarts. If he was correct, and they had been expelled, they had either joined the ranks of the Death Eaters, or were still under house arrest. He couldn’t get too excited about it. It wasn’t as if he actually liked either of them much. Anyway, if they had been made an example of, a lot of people were going to be changing their ways in front of Dumbledore, at least on the outside.

When he got back to his car, he supposed he should really have dragged Pansy off with him, but she had reminded him uncomfortably of his mother. However, his face settled into a scowl as he realized that Blaise probably thought he had backed down. Obviously Blaise had great ideas about taking over as top Slytherin. Especially as he was now a prefect. At least it wasn’t Ron or Harry. Draco lifted his lip in an unconscious sneer, and picked up his new Occlumency book. He felt rather peculiar. It seemed that nothing was going to be as it had been. He had never heard of Alice in Wonderland, but if he had, he would have sympathized with her wholeheartedly.

The train journey dragged on interminably, while Draco sat in state in his own room, reading and yawning (and starving, it must be admitted) by turns. His carry on bag was filled with sweets, among other things such as his camera, but he didn’t actually have a sweet tooth, and he was really looking forward to the feast at Hogwarts.

When the train eventually arrived, Draco picked up his carry on bag (normally Crabbe and Goyle would have done that for him) and started down the stairs after the Patil sisters, who had been in the carriage next to him. He was clumsy, not used to waiting on himself, (Crabbe and Goyle had always acted as his porters) and when a group of noisy first years knocked against him, he swung his heavy bag into the nearest girl, which happened to be Parvati. She squealed and turned around to see who had hit her. Draco gave her his most supercilious glare. Unfortunately, though that was enough to deter most people, it did not impress Parvati. She gave him an outraged look, and pushed through the milling students to join Padma, still glaring at him. Whereas Draco’s eyes narrowed when he glared, Parvati’s seemed to grow even huger than they already were, until they were almost mesmerizing, making her face twice as beautiful as normal. They also flashed pure anger. Draco didn’t like her, but he did appreciate watching her. He pushed first years out of the way as he strode over to her, itching for a fight to disperse some of his ill humor.

“Draco, you watch where you are swinging that case, or you’ll be a giant slug for the rest of term!� Parvati warned.

Draco’s mood changed. He remembered Parvati had been in the car of students who loosed their wands at him, and changed him into that disgusting slug like state that his mother had witnessed on the platform. Before he had been mildly annoyed. Now he was deadly furious. He gave Parvati such a look that even she almost quailed, dropped his bags, and grabbed his wand. So what if he was expelled from Hogwarts? At that moment, he would gladly have joined the Death Eaters. He saw Parvati grabbing wildly for hers as he raised his wand, but before he even opened his mouth, there was a roar of “Expelliarmus!� and both his and Parvati’s wands shot into the air. Draco turned around to see the last person he had expected walking towards him – Snape. Parvati gave a low moan, unable to believe her bad luck, and began unconsciously to rub her back where Draco had hit her with the bag. Draco looked sideways at her and smirked.

Snape looked at his most frigid and severe as he swept toward them. “Thiry points from Gryffindor Ms. Patil,� he said smoothly. “A disgraceful exhibition to set in front of the first years.� Draco looked over at Parvati, gloating. He saw her eyes widen and her lower lip stick out. She knew it was hopeless, but somehow she was too stubborn to stop herself. Draco watched, sardonic, as Parvati murmured, “But Professor……..�

“Forty points Ms. Patil. And I will see your head of house is informed of this incident.� Snape gave Draco an unpleasant look. Draco’s stomach churned, and he remembered Severus Snape too, was said to be a Death Eater. The sudden, almost nauseous reaction caused him to blurt out, before he even had time to reflect, “It was my fault sir. Parvati was defending herself.�

There was a collective gasp from the bystanders with whom he was familiar, and even Snape himself looked for a minute out of countenance. His face turned thunderous. Snape never liked taking points from his own house. “Five points from Slytherin too then!� he snarled, swirling past Draco in a flurry of black robes.

People started to move on again, and Parvati stared at Draco blankly, her eyes huge. “Thanks, Malfoy,� she said uncertainly. For a moment Draco looked into those enormous chocolate eyes and then somebody knocked him deliberately on their way past. Blaise. The Slytherins had not appreciated points being taken from their house. Draco, recovered, gave Parvati a sneer and picked up his bag again, careful to hit her leg hard with it as he swung around.

“Don’t worry Patil – I won’t make a habit of it,� he said, striding off. ‘Way to go, Malfoy,’ he thought. ‘Now you have the whole school mad at you.’ The Slytherins he found he couldn’t care about, but he wished he had not just alienated his Head of House. Snape was a bad person to cross.

*********************

“Parvati!� It was Padma calling. With a jump, Parvati realized that she had been staring after Draco. Funny – when he met her eyes just then, he had looked, well, almost human. Usually his eyes were smirking. It seemed the smirk had been wiped off his face for once. And he was walking alone. Slowly she realized how difficult it must be for him with everyone knowing that his father was a wizard who had been defeated by Harry Potter, no less, and locked up in Azkaban. There had also been something in the Daily Prophet about his father’s assets being frozen. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered her slug jibe. It had not been kind. She regretted it now. However much of a slimeball Malfoy could be, you don’t kick a dog when it’s down. That was her trouble. She was the bossy over-talkative twin, who spoke before she thought. She walked with Padma, keeping her eyes on the figure in front of her, the pale head, with its long ponytail and it must be admitted, very handsome form. Padma couldn’t believe what she had just heard – Draco Malfoy admitting a fault to Snape? Other people were talking in groups, excited.

The many first years, uncomprehending, wandered around like bewildered sheep as they were collected by Hagrid, alternately frightened and overawed by the dueling scene they had nearly witnessed. Some of them, of course, were alternately frightened and overawed by Hagrid himself, but that couldn’t be helped.

The first month at Hogwarts did not go well for Draco. Initially shunned by the Slytherins, as well as all the other houses, they had now worked out some sort of truce. He was accepted at their table, and into the conversation, but not with any warmth. Ironically, he found that the more they feared him as a Death Eater, the more he baulked against the idea of actually becoming one. Pretending was another matter altogether, and he was a past master at insinuation. It was partly due to this, and also his famed wand skills that he managed to command a certain respect without Crabbe and Goyle to beat it out of people for him.

Also, he found some sympathy for the Gryffindors, as he had joined them in sharing Snape’s disfavor. Draco had never before been on the receiving end of Snape’s unfair teaching style. Previously he had been the beneficiary, Snape’s favourite. Luckily it was Snape’s sarcasm that Draco had to put up with most – Snape did not want points taken from his House. However, the sarcasm was hard to put up with, and Draco lived in terror that Snape was going to let slip one of the many things he did not want to make public knowledge. Draco kept his mouth shut, but some of the class wondered how Snape dared taunt Malfoy. He looked quite as dangerous as Snape himself!

Luckily Potions was easily Draco’s favorite subject. Without Crabbe and Goyle to hinder him (he found they had, as he had thought, been expelled) he found himself enjoying the class. In fact, since he had no particular friends, his studies were beginning to improve, and he was even able to vie with Hermione (a Prefect, of course) for positions at the top of their joint classes, a point which none of the Gryffindors took well. Of course this added a bit of spice to the lessons, and he studied harder than he ever had before, delighted when his marks topped hers. He even tied one week with Neville in Herbology, a class that he greatly despised, but which he had taken this year as one that worked well with Potions.

His rivalry for top place in class replaced his competitive drive in Quidditch. He had been asked to resign his place as Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, and was surprised to find that although he kept his face impassive, it was the first thing that happened to him that truly hurt. Blaise wanted one of his friends to play Seeker. (Since Hubert Durnsley had taken over, they had lost the first match of the season, to Hufflepuff, of all people.) From the time that Hermione Granger had accused him of buying his way onto the Slytherin Quidditch Team all those years ago, Draco had practiced regularly and with complete focus. If there was one thing he had honestly striven for, it was to beat Harry Potter for the snitch in a House game. Not having Harry’s natural abilities, he had been up every morning to practice, and although still not quite a top player, he had improved his abilities greatly, and built up a good deal of muscle at the same time, of which he was inordinately proud. He still continued his flying practice each morning, but out of habit rather than necessity. There was still hope too, that the Slytherins would revolt and insist that Hubert Durnsley be taken off the team, and if that happened, Draco wanted to be sure to be in training.

Today, they had a double potions lesson, and were making Tiginta Dopsulous, a potion, which if used correctly would dry into fibers that could be used in the making of Invisibility cloaks. Snape was in a high good humor for some reason, which made him twice as scary as usual. Draco read the instructions, and realized the class would be easy. He relaxed and spent some time doing what he usually did in Potions: he watched the back of Parvati Patil.

There was just something about her that was exquisite. Her features were lovely, but what fascinated Draco were her hands. They never appeared still, and were graceful as butterflies. Her pigtail annoyed him immensely; he wished that she would, for once, wear her hair down. He could imagine what it would feel and smell like. He liked the midnight black, and her dark complexion. She reminded him of a deer with her delicate build and large eyes, which was perhaps not original, but was what Parvati looked like. He deliberately drew his eyes down to his potion again. Even Parvati would not make him lose his equilibrium. When he watched her, he made sure nobody noticed – least of all Parvati herself. He had to admit to himself as he stirred in a pinch of powdered Soserphus horn, that she did not always look her best in Potions. Now that Neville was no longer in the class, Snape had randomly settled on her as his favorite pupil to bully, (she had worn an ornate hair grip in their first lesson that he had disliked) and her confidence had plummeted accordingly. Draco remembered her being one of the better students in their fifth year. She bit her lip often, pulled anxiously on the end of her pigtail, and put her head in her hands a lot.

He himself put the exact amount of oil of anteater that the recipe specified, and sneaked a quick look over at Granger to see how she was doing. She was going to make a mistake, he saw. She was watching the Weasel. This was happening more and more, often to the detriment of Hermione’s work. There was something wrong there. Weasley had been preoccupied lately – he had been working harder than he ever had before, and Draco had even seen him hunched over books in the library without Hermione. The Dream Team had some cracks in it at last! Usually it was the Weasel who watched The Fount of All Knowledge. He had never realized she had been there for the taking. Gormless prat. He really didn’t have a clue.

Draco smirked to himself as Snape swirled past with a sour look at his perfect brew, and then came to a halt beside Hermione. “Well, well Ms. Granger. I see you are taking a rest from your studies. Unfortunately the potion is not. Please take detention tonight.� With a wave of his wand, the murky purple in Hermione’s cauldron disappeared. The Weasel raised his head quickly, and Draco saw his look of distaste as his eyes followed Snape. Draco narrowed his eyes. So he was still keen on the Mudblood? Why then, was Granger making it so obvious and still being ignored? Interesting…or maybe not. Draco was turning his head back to his potion again, when he met Harry’s eyes. Harry had noticed him looking at his friends, and of course had the impression that he was satisfied at Granger’s expense. Well, it was the truth. Draco exchanged a hard and unfriendly look with Dumbledore’s Golden Boy, and then caught sight of Parvati. She was glaring at him too. She had obviously formed herself into one of the “Granger Support Group Against Malfoy�. Draco smiled superciliously, and let his silver gray eyes bore into hers. He had expected her expression of disgust as he did so, in fact, he had watched her so much by this time her expression was exactly as he knew it would be, with the little lines at the sides of her nose that appeared when she laughed or wrinkled it for any reason. What took him by surprise was his reaction to her. He wanted to kiss her. In fact, he wanted it so badly, he could feel his fist clenching on the workbench.

And if she didn’t look away, he would be standing there staring like an idiot.

Again that feeling of nausea welled up in his stomach… The feeling of losing control, he realized. He battled himself into submission, as he stared into her eyes, not daring to drop his less she read it as surrender, then raised his eyebrows haughtily before looking down at his potion, which was luckily still intact. He was shaken, and he felt hot and cold by turn. He calmed himself, breathing slowly and looked around furtively. Nobody seemed to have noticed. Parvati herself had gone back to chewing her pen. He relaxed.

*************************

Parvati chewed her pen thoughtfully. That was the second time she had looked right into Malfoy’s eyes. This time they hadn’t remained narrowed, either. He had opened his eyes, and she had seen a flash of something other than cold dark nothingness, which is what you expected to see in Malfoy’s eyes. She couldn’t explain it, but she had felt a shifting in the pit of her stomach, and felt her lips shiver, almost as if he…well, as if he… She leant lower over her work, and chewed furiously. Of course he was drop dead gorgeous. He always had been, but tie that to his personality? Hormones. It had to be hormones. She needed a boyfriend badly. Surreptitiously she wiped her hand over her mouth in an imaginary cleansing ritual, but that reminded her of that sudden longing for his lips on hers. She gritted her teeth, and screwed up her eyes in an effort to forget, and was interrupted with smug satisfaction by Snape.

“I am not surprised you look pained Ms. Patil. I believe you will join Ms. Granger in detention tonight. Next time watch your clock.� With a whisk of his wand, her potion, which until the last few minutes she had been doing so well with, disappeared.

Snape whirled to the front of the class. “You may go.�

********************

Draco waited until the Dream Team had left before he turned to go. He was avoiding them as much as possible recently, as he had come off badly from an exchange with Granger earlier on in the year, which had left people laughing at him. Parvati was still packing her books, but he did not want to talk to her either, although he would have loved to gloat. When it came to wit, she was almost as great a hazard as Granger to his mind.

However, he could not stop thinking about her. He watched her covertly from the Slytherin table that afternoon. She was so graceful. She held herself so well, and she made his breathing uncomfortable. Enough. He had to do something about her. One good kiss would probably get her out of his system. After all, he had not kissed a girl since the beginning of summer. It was not surprising that he had fastened on Parvati. She was, after all, the most spectacular specimen in their year. Padma was beautiful too, but in a quieter way. Parvati was more vivacious. He began to formulate a plan.

Tonight Parvati was working late for Snape. If Granger could be got out of the way (and the Dream Team would probably see to that) she would have to walk back to the Gryffindor common room in the corridor next to the Slytherin common room. He could catch her there on her own. Draco considered his approach.

**************************

Parvati sat with Lavender Brown at the Gryffindor table. She felt that she was being watched, but could not work out why. Malfoy was sitting with his head in her general direction staring off into space the way he usually did nowadays. But was he watching her? Parvati felt her cheeks flush again as a shiver ran down her back, and she resolutely turned her away from him. She whispered to Lavender, who giggled and looked over her at Draco.

“He’s not watching you. He is looking at the ceiling. Ugh! Who would want Malfoy watching them? What is the matter with you Parvati? I know you think he is,� she tried to imitate Parvati, “Simply gorgeous, but stop drooling. Strictly eye candy only.� She turned back to the absorbing discussion of whether or not Seamus was interested in Lavender, which Parvati suspected he was, and Lavender hoped he was but suspected he wasn’t.

*****************************

It was a cold evening, and the dungeons were particularly nasty. Hermione and Parvati went down together, a bit to Draco’s annoyance. He hoped they wouldn’t stick together on the way back. He had counted on the Dream Team collecting Hermione. Well, if he had to improvise, he had to improvise. He waited until they were out of sight, and then followed.

In detention, Parvati and Hermione were bottling rat droppings, which they had to put into castor oil for a project of Snape’s. Snape looked at the disgust on their faces, grimly pleased. “I can’t see why you are complaining,� he said smugly, “I did not ask you to collect the droppings yourselves, you simply scoop them up with the silver scoop, and transfer them to the bottle. If you wish, you may use the funnel.� Parvati had a sudden vision of Snape on hands and knees collecting rat droppings, and would have laughed if she had not been so scared of Snape. Hermione on the other hand, said clearly and bravely “Who did collect the rat droppings Sir?�

Snape smiled evilly. “Since you are so interested Ms. Granger, I asked a couple of house elves. You may join them next time if you wish. – or do you think it would make you, perhaps Spew?� He allowed the corners of his lips to lift slightly, which only actually served to increase the feeling of malevolence he exuded. He carried on before Hermione, who looked a little like a volcano about to explode could in fact do so. “I expect all the bottles to be filled by nine o’clock. I need them then. I suggest you start now.� He waited a minute, but Hermione had struggled to get herself under control, and did not give him any excuse to take more points from Gryffindor. Disappointed, he turned on his heel, and swirled out of the dungeon.

Parvati looked across at Hermione. “I don’t know what happened to put Snape in a good mood, but that was his twisted version of kidding, Hermione,� she said kindly and unnecessarily, since Hermione was well aware of the fact. “I sincerely doubt he asked the house elves. They avoid him like a Mountain Troll. He wouldn’t have been able to get near one.� Hermione made a noise that sounded like “Doh!� but she walked towards the barrel of droppings, before the smell made her step back. “Here,� she said shortly, and called a two pairs of plastic gloves and masks for them both from Snape’s private cupboard. “Least he could have done,� she muttered, handing some to Parvati. The stench coming from the barrel made the masks necessary. Parvati sighed. “I’ll do the droppings, if you do the oil Hermione,� she said. The girls began work, and a second later, Parvati laughed. “Hermione, these aren’t rat droppings! They are Tarskein seeds! Wow, Snape was really on form. Handing out detentions like sweets and cracking jokes! I wonder what got into him? I have never known him like that before.�

Hermione looked over at the barrel of seeds suspiciously, but did not come near enough to look properly. “They look gross to me and smelly to me,� she said, “How do you know?�

“Trust me,� Parvati grinned. “I took Double Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, instead of Arithmancy and whatever other brainy subjects you are doing. Plus I had a summer job at a Pet Healers this year. We got a lot of rats. Rat droppings are sort of pointed at the end instead of…..�

“Ewwwww! That was more information than I needed to know!� Hermione complained, marvelling that Parvati of all people would know anything about rat droppings. “Lets talk of something else.�

Parvati was nothing loath, but she really didn’t expect Hermione to be communicative. However, if you didn’t ask, you didn’t learn. “OK. Why is Ron so different?� she asked.

Hermione sighed, discouraged. “Well, it was all to do with the Department of Mysteries. I am not sure how much I can tell you.�

“You mean when Ron got covered in brains?� asked Parvati knowledgably, her eyes widening with curiosity. Hermione stared at her, and Parvati shrugged. “Well, news gets around you know, and he has all those scars over his forearms.�

Hermione bit her lip, but her need to confide in somebody was obvious. She was known for not gossiping much, so Parvati was actually quite surprised when she started speaking.

“Well, both Ron and Harry have had a really bad summer. Firstly, Harry lost someone dear to him and thinks it is his fault, and Ron got hit by a couple of curses at the Ministry. Harry finally started speaking to us again – mostly because we wouldn’t give up nagging him over the summer, and Mrs. Weasley helped a lot - but he has changed. He is much more bitter.

Ron keeps saying,� here her voice got a bit choked up, “that he was no bloody use, but you know Parvati, he was! Ron keeps saying he let us all down. He even dragged up our second year, and how he couldn’t help Harry with the Basilisk! But he got stuck behind a great pile of rocks! What did he think he was supposed to do? And how is it his fault that he gets cursed by a Death Eater and gets the giggles? It isn’t like he was doing it deliberately! He keeps saying that all he did was giggle and waltz with brains, while Harry and I did all the work. I reminded him of the day he rescued me from the troll by knocking it out, but he says that was an accident, and that I shouldn’t set any store by it.� She paused to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing castor oil on her cheek. “And he even says the chess game he played was no great thing – just a simple knowledge of chess. Do you know, I was always so mad at them for never doing anything on time, and not caring about their homework? Now I just wish I could badger them about it again. Do you know how weird it feels when Ron reminds me what Snape said two lessons ago?� She sniffed.

“I am so sorry Hermione, I had no idea. I could see things were different somehow, but I didn’t know why.� Parvati was more than a little upset. She had heard enough to horrify her about the Department of Mysteries expedition. She said hesitantly, “I wish I could have gone with you too. I know it would have been terrifying, but that is why we are part of the DA. I hope you didn’t feel that I let you down when I didn’t take Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, but I thought we would be doing it with Harry again.

She carried on scooping the Tarskein seeds. In spite of the mask, her eyes were starting to water. She looked sideways at Hermione, cutting to what she saw as the real problem.

“You know, Hermione, Ron still watches you – a lot.�

Hermione’s head jerked up, and her eyes met Parvati’s. She was blushing, and looked as if she had been given some new hope. “You really think he does? I mean really?�

Parvati nodded, wondering how Hermione could be so brilliant in most areas, and yet so dense about Ron. “Yes, he does. He does it in a more subtle manner than last year though. We all thought maybe you had had a fight or he’d asked you out and you had said no or something.� Hermione raised her eyebrows, and Parvati blushed as she realized she had just admitted to gossiping. She searched around for a diversionary topic and was inspired. “Maybe he thinks he isn’t good enough for you.�

Hermione looked a bit encouraged. “Do you really think that could be it?�

Parvati was sympathetic. “I think it could be. And it certainly won’t do Ron a bit of harm to work hard for once.� She caught Hermione’s raised brows and blushed again. She frowned down at the Tarskein seeds. She should really learn to bite her tongue.

They filled a couple more of the bottles in silence, and then Hermione, obviously feeling that she should reciprocate, asked “How about you? Do you have a boyfriend?�

Parvati looked at her. Hermione had no cause to like Malfoy, but then neither did anybody else in the school. She was certainly not the only one to be called Mudblood by him. If anything, perhaps she came off better than some, because others were not as ready with a comeback. And she didn’t gossip. Parvati considered Hermione’s recent confidences more in the realm of being desperate to talk to someone other than Ginny, who was, of course, biased. On the other hand, she would probably express the same revulsion as Lavender, if confronted with what Parvati wanted to tell.

“Well, I guess not. No juicy gossip, at least, not yet. I may surprise you someday though…�

***************************

Draco was tired of waiting for Parvati to come out of detention, but he was nothing if not patient. He sat on a projection of jutting black rock in one of the disused corridors. He could hear the steady dripping of water, and the plopping sound as it fell into a puddle beside him. The sparse lighting flickered vainly along the walls, leaving little cheer, and flickering a somewhat oily reflection in the puddle. It was freezing, and his hands were icy. He had a numb bum. He saw his breath faintly hang in the air above him. He wondered why he had come down so soon. He had been totally alone with his thoughts, but they had done little for him besides convince him he was suffering from raging lust. For the love of magic he was finding even these doleful surroundings erotic. He heard Snape’s footsteps approaching from the opposite corridor, saw the sudden warmth as yellow light spilled into the darkness from the opened door. Then he heard the click and murmur of voices as Snape reviewed whatever it was he had given the girls to do. Just as he was about to despair, he heard footsteps. Parvati was such a sucker for a love story! If Ron had come on his own to fetch Hermione, she would find some excuse to leave them to walk alone together. He held his breath, and he was in luck. It was just a single set of footsteps, and Ron was alone. He stood leaning on the doorjamb, and Draco realized again just how much Ron had grown during last summer. He really looked like a Keeper now, with his height, broad shoulders and strong arms. The thought of having to look up to Weasley did not please him. Until this year, they had both been the same height.

As Draco had suspected, Parvati made an excuse, and Ron and Hermione left together before she at last emerged, dressed in her robes with a homemade angora scarf in blue. It looked terrible. Like something long and fluffy that had crawled round her neck and died. These scarves were very fashionable at Hogwarts at present. He had noticed all the girls wearing them. Parvati was always up with the latest trends. Ugh. At least it was better than those Weasley sweaters.

Draco turned to follow Parvati, and glanced through the door to see Snape marking rows of tiny bottles with his quill. That would keep him a while. He slid after Parvati, silent as a cat. He was used to being silent, after years of avoiding his father at home, when he was in a bad mood. Parvati wasn’t walking fast, probably because she didn’t want to catch up to Ron and Hermione and she was singing to herself a bit tunelessly, imagining herself alone. Draco, who had a good ear, winced more than once. Occasionally Parvati would kick a stone along the ground, and occasionally she would sniff the air, and look puzzled. Draco had no idea what that was about. He waited until she had turned towards the upward passage that led to the lighted corridors and stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

Quiet as he was, Parvati turned searching into the shadows, Draco saw she knew he was there, and stepped out of the shadows, walking toward her. She gasped, clutching her bag to her chest. “Draco! You startled me! Where did you come from?� As she spoke, he could see her working it out – he had been following her, in the shadows.

Draco stopped, facing her, and tried to think of something to say. Everything failed him, and he just stared. Parvati looked into his eyes as though stunned – a little like a deer frozen in a broom headlight. His eyes seemed to burn into her. The silver gray was white hot. Parvati’s eyes were seemed to encompass, in that second, everything that Draco had ever wanted or needed. Not knowing what else to do, he lunged forward, gripping her wrists in a vise-like clasp, and then, impatient, as she pulled away, he pinned her against the rough wall of the passageway, and his lips found hers, in a bruising, passionate, almost desperate kiss.

*******************

Parvati was so surprised, her mouth opened in a gasp, and he took immediate advantage of that to plunge deeper into the kiss. It was a minute before Parvati gathered her senses, and realized that her head had cracked against the wall, and had started to sting. Her wrists hurt where he was gripping them, and her lips – what was she thinking? She tried to pull away, but his arms were like steel, and she made no headway. She brought her knee up smartly, in a well-practiced move from a self-defense class, and, as he doubled, she elbowed him hard in the stomach.

Draco was caught completely by surprise. He had thought Parvati easy to manage (most of the girls he had gone out with were) and had not even thought of protecting himself. The pain was incredible, and he doubled instinctively, falling to the ground - not even able to reach for his wand.

Parvati stopped shivering, poised for flight, but worried she may have really hurt him. She had not held back. As his eyes opened however, she ran, leaving her books and scarf behind her. There was a limit to bravery, and being brave with the son of a Death Eater who had just jumped her in a dark, damp corridor in the dungeons was her limit. She was no Harry Potter. Draco closed his eyes again, and lay his head back down on the dungeon floor, his knees still curled to his stomach. He was hurting now in more places than one.

*********************

Parvati ran up to the Ravenclaw common room, and stopped frantically – what was the password? The ghostly suit of armor regarded her, not unkindly. “I’ll tell Padma that you are here�, he offered, noticing that she appeared distraught and he disappeared through the wall. A minute later Padma appeared through a sliding door. “Come in!� she cried, alarmed. Parvati hardly ever came up to the Ravenclaw common room; they usually met in the Great Hall. “What is wrong? Sir Gregory never carries messages!� Parvati smiled through her tears, which had started at Padma’s sympathy, and murmured a “thank-you� to the suit of armor, which had reappeared through the wall, before following Padma through the Ravenclaw common room and up to her dorm.

Padma sat down on her bed, and threw her arms around her twin, holding her as Parvati sobbed, and then she rose and fetched a box of tissues from underneath her bed. She was dressed in her usual salwar kameez, this time in shocking pink with gold embroidery, and lovely embroidered Indian slippers. Her scarf slipped off her shoulder. “OK, Parv, tell me all,� she demanded, sitting down on the bed beside her sister.

“Mal…..Malfoy just attacked me,� Parvati wailed into a handkerchief. “On the way back from Potions. He must have been waiting for me�. She brought her knees up onto the bed, and rocked back and forth now letting the shock take over. Padma was shocked. “Parvati – you should tell Dumbledore! Or, or Flitwick, or McGonagall or, or, well, somebody!� Parvati shook her head, leaning over to grab her sister’s wrist, as Padma looked as if she were just about to jump up to find somebody to tell.

“Padma. I haven’t told you the worst of it. Once I had got over the shock, I think I may have been kissing him back.�

Here, Padma’s look of utter horror made Parvati start laughing over the crying. Padma listened to her a while, decided her sister was hysterical, and slapped her face sharply. Parvati subsided, occasionally hiccupping.

Padma handed her a glass of water. “I think you had better tell me from the beginning,� she said sternly.

Parvati drank some of the water Padma gave her, and wiped her eyes.

“The thing is, Paddy, I think Draco may have been watching me for a while. But he hasn’t done anything …until now. And I have sort of noticed him in the last couple of days too. Well, you know I always thought he was good-looking, even when he was really snotty. Not that he isn’t snotty now - I mean, I guess he still is horrible, but he doesn’t taunt people as much.� She took a deep breath and tried for a better level of coherence, as Padma looked bewildered. “But I was thinking on the way here, if he really had wanted to attack me, he would have done something to me - the Immobility curse or something. I mean he only kissed me, really.� She pushed the stray strands of her hair out of her eyes.

Padma raised her eyebrows. “Anything he did without asking is suspect,� she said sternly. She looked down, and gave a gasp. “And just look at your wrists!� Parvati followed her gaze, and saw the tell tale marks. She was going to have some fine bruises later. She winced, pulling down the sleeves of her blue sweater, hiding them from her sister, but Padma wasn’t finished. “You know the only reason that Malfoy isn’t as obnoxious as always is because his father is in Azkaban, and he doesn’t have an ‘in’ with the Ministry any more. And he has no money to flash around and impress people with, and he hasn’t got Crabbe and Goyle with him to beat anybody he doesn’t like senseless. That is the only reason he is a little more subdued this year, and even then seeing what he just did, he hasn’t changed much! He is a whiney, cowardly, sniveling Daddy’s boy, and you should remember that.�

“I know,� sniffed Parvati. “He wouldn’t have let me go either, only I kneed him well in the groin. You know that Muggle course Dad had us take?�

Padma’s face lit up. “I am so glad,� she said simply. It had been her that insisted that the course was important, mainly because she had a crush on the cute Muggle policeman that was teaching it.

Parvati gave Padma a weak grin, and then dropped her gaze, tracing round a pattern on the bedspread with her finger. The next part she found harder to say, even though her sister was the person who she most trusted in the world, and the one who knew her best. “Paddy - do you think I am a masochist or something? I couldn’t think for a minute or two, and then, when my head started hurting, and I sort of started thinking again, I realized I was kissing him.� Parvati screwed up her face in embarrassment, not really wanting to see her sister’s reaction, but wanting to hear it.

Padma thought for a minute. “Well, you didn’t enjoy it once you found out he wouldn’t let you go,� she pointed out. “Maybe you were just in shock?�

Parvati didn’t look at her sister. “The thing is, if he didn’t actually try to hurt me or anything, I think I might like him to kiss me,� she confessed. “It was rather exciting and heady, and he tasted really good.�

Padma looked at her, for a second, in complete disbelief. Finally she said, “I’ll get out your chart.� Parvati brightened a little.

*************************

When they had joined Hogwarts, both sisters were very interested in Divination. Their mother was a respected, but not remarkable Seer, who had been brought up in India and Parvati and Padma had come to Hogwarts desperate to study Divination in the Western style. It had taken Parvati more than a couple of years of hopefully gazing at her tea leaves, and worrying about Harry Potter (who she was sure was going to die soon), before Firenze took over the class, and she finally realized that Professor Trelawney was a fake, as everybody had been trying to tell her.

After a few classes Firenze had talked to Parvati, and told her very kindly but honestly, that there was no point in her taking Divination to N.E.W.T. level. She was competent, but not gifted in the same way as her sister. Once she had got over the shock, Parvati had actually found it liberating.

Padma, however, was very gifted at Divination. Being a twin, and the daughter of two twins, she had a very strong concentration of magic, although it manifested itself only on one aspect of the magical spectrum. Parvati’s gift had appeared when they were children, but Padma had struggled with the feeling of inferiority until she had developed mentally and found her niche. Unfortunately there was no real respect among the students for the Art of Divination at Hogwarts, so she never had the accolades she deserved. However, Firenze had accepted her as his sole pupil for the sixth year, and she was enjoying herself more than ever before.

The chart she had made for Parvati was beautiful. It was a heavy, lengthy roll of parchment, inked in sepia and hand-decorated with gold leaf and watercolor drawings. Parvati had great faith in Padma’s charts (which Firenze did not approve of, as they dealt with lesser human worries and not the studies of the heavens in their entirety). ‘Gullible’ was the word most usually chosen to describe Parvati, next to ‘beautiful’, but so far, Padma’s chart had not proven wrong. She sat on the bed and waited expectantly.

Padma picked up the chart with a little difficulty and unrolled it on the bed. She paused, eyes narrowed, muttering under her breath. She worked for a long time, and then looked up, a puzzled and rather worried frown on her face. “Nothing bad is supposed to be happening right now romantically speaking. In fact, quite the reverse – I know I am reading the signs correctly! Perhaps this is a one off thing, and won’t happen again, but…� She broke off, frowning again, and started to bite the end of her pigtail. Parvati leaned over and took the pigtail out of her sister’s hand – an automatic reflex. She lay on her stomach, trying to make sense of the chart upside down, to see which particular time zone or constellation was worrying Padma.

“What is it?� she asked.

Padma looked up at her, obviously disturbed about something she had seen. �I’ll check this tomorrow, so don’t believe it from me today, but I don’t think you are in any danger from Draco.� She saw Parvati was about to question her, and not being ready to answer, she tried to divert her. “Maybe I should call you Perv, not Parv.�

Parvati gasped, and threw a pillow at her sister. Padma giggled, and rolled the chart shut. “He is rather gorgeous, though isn’t he?� asked Parvati as her sister pushed the chart back under the bed. “With that white fair hair, thin arrogant lips and totally dreamy chin.�

Padma rolled her eyes at her sister. “Definitely NOT my cup of tea,� she replied. “I like them slim and dark, with just the tiniest beard. Hairy chest. Totally opposite.� Parvati laughed. “Come on,� she coaxed, “you must have noticed…. When he wears those black trousers, or those Muggle type jeans that really fit him, have you never noticed his bum?�

Padma yelped, throwing her pillow at Parvati “Yuck!! If you say any more I’m calling Madam Pomfrey! Or I’ll be sick….one or the other! Draco Malfoy indeed! I liked it better when you were stuck on Harry Potter!“ She gave an elegant shudder.

The sisters had fun until Parvati had to return to the Gryffindor common room. As she left, Padma leaned out of the Ravenclaw door and said seriously “Remember, the stars are sometimes difficult for us to understand, so don’t just go and think everything is OK. Those bruises on your wrists are not funny. Be careful Parv!�

Parvati assured her she would be, but she was not worried now. If Padma had seen no threat in her chart, there was no threat. Her sister may doubt herself, but Parvati had total confidence in her twin. Her step had a new spring in it, and her eyes were brighter. So Draco was a challenge, but not really a threat. She bit her lip thoughtfully. It did not bother her that Padma found Draco unattractive. She never found her sister’s boyfriends remotely interesting either. So long as none of the Slytherins were out to grab him, she probably had a clear field. She almost danced back to the Gryffindor common room, trying to think of a highly edited version of events that she could tell to Lavender.

**************************************

Draco lay on the floor of the dungeon, noticing how the damp seemed to rise into his very bones. After a while he groaned and sat up. He had reached a new low. Bested by a woman - Parvati no less. Nothing could ever beat that. She was half his size. Why was it he could never emerge unscathed from an encounter with a Gryffindor? And why, why did he never learn not to pick on them? What was wrong with Pansy anyway? (Apart from the fact that she was Blaise’s girl now, and he didn’t even remotely fancy her any more.)

He got to his feet, as thoroughly depressed, as it was possible to be. His usual sense of self-worth had departed, along with the family fortunes, his father’s imprisonment and his lack of popularity. He felt the taste of failure, and it was bitter. Draco Malfoy did not lose (apart from to Gryffindors with alarming regularity, he remembered with a scowl). Now, the only thing he really knew he wanted was to kiss Parvati properly. Everything else was secondary. He would find her again, and this time he would win. He would just be more careful. That is all. Draco’s lips pressed together in a thin line, and his nostrils flared. He did not realize how like his father he looked.

Draco bent to pick up his bag, and as he did so, realized that Parvati had run off leaving her bag, scarf and wand on the floor of the dungeon. He picked up the wand first. It was ebony, like his and he guessed it contained a unicorn hair, as it had a tiny disc of ivory inlay at the tip. It was rather long –13 inches – and beautifully polished. He got out his own wand to compare them. They were the same length, and the same wood, yet his wand was wonderfully ornate, with exquisite carvings of entwined dragons, and a dragon heart-string core. Hers was plain, but well polished. They did not look as if they belonged together. He picked up her bag of books. Well, the least he could do was take them and leave them outside the Gryffindor common room. It was late enough that Gryffindors would all be inside, and he could leave them outside the portrait of the Fat Lady without being seen. But first he would do a little snooping through her bag.

Her scarf was there too, that long fluffy thing. Draco picked it up, and found that although it looked hairy, it was actually soft. It smelled of her, that scent of roses. He looked around quickly to make sure nobody was watching, and flushing, stuffed the scarf into his own bag. If anybody had been watching, they would have received an Unforgiveable.

As he walked back through the corridors, Draco thought about Parvati. For a moment he thought that she had been kissing him back. He sneered at himself. There is no way that was true. But it had seemed that she was. And he hadn’t felt disgusted with her, or himself. In fact, it was the most incredible feeling. Of course, if she had been, she had stopped very quickly, and tried to move her head away. The more he thought about it though, the more he wondered about it. Her lips had definitely seemed inviting for more than a moment. Then she had jerked and moved her head.

Draco remembered seeing Hermione look at Ron as they came out of the Potions classroom together once. If anyone looked at him like that, he would feel like the world had just been laid at his feet. He felt his hand tremble at the thought of that expression on Parvati as she looked at him, and then he clenched his fist, and put away the thought. He didn’t need anyone to look at him like that. It was how his mother had first looked at his father wasn’t it? They had wedding photographs to prove it. Draco bit his lip so hard he drew blood. He would rather have a girlfriend who didn’t matter, as Pansy hadn’t. A girlfriend who could be ignored when not required. He bit his lip even harder, realizing that he had just described his mothers and father’s current relationship. Girlfriends didn’t matter. Enemies were more important. Enemies like Potter. He sneered superbly, and hoisted both bags further onto his shoulder.

A few more steps along the passage he suddenly stopped. She had called him Draco! Nobody ever called him ‘Draco’, it was always ‘Malfoy’. When he walked on again, his step looked almost jaunty, and the trace of a smirk lingered around his lips. If one looked closely, they would see it held hope.


Draco had gone through Parvati’s bag before leaving it outside the Gryffindor common room and found what he was looking for: her class schedule. He hoped it had been worth it. He should just have left the bags where they were, because as he arrived outside the Gryffindor common room, so did Peeves. He had tried, uselessly of course, to keep Peeves silent, but of course the Poltergeist had shouted; “SLYTHERIN OUTSIDE THE GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM! MISCHIEF ABOUNDS! COME AND GET HIM!� and pelted him with what smelled like over-ripe figs. He was quick, but he knew that he had been seen by at least a couple of Gryffindors spilling through the portrait hole as he dodged around the corner, wiping figs out of his hair and pursued by Peeves. Luckily they fell over Parvati’s bag that he had left right outside the common room, which helped him get away, and Peeves never went near the Slytherin common room, in case the Bloody Baron was lurking down there. It rankled that Parvati would probably know he was soft enough to spare her a trip down to the dungeons.

Two days later Draco waited upstairs until he saw Parvati break away from a small group of girls who were giggling about something or other and start to climb the stairs. To his satisfaction, she was the only person walking up the stairs. He had tried to put a repelling charm onto the stairs repelling everyone but her, and it had obviously worked. Even Peeves had recoiled. That was good for a start, because he had spent quite a while more time than he wanted on learning the spell, and then more time trying to evade Filch while he attached the spell to the stairs. And if it worked on Peeves, maybe he could get a solution and bathe in it. He would probably be able to sell it to other students for a vast sum of money.



He saw Parvati grab the banister, an expression of annoyance on her face as the stairs started moving upwards, but she did not start to worry until she saw him. She ran down the stairs, trying to get off before she was carried up to him. As she ran, however, the stairs acted like an escalator, growing new steps for her to run down. For an instant his heart leapt, worrying she may try to jump as she was carried upwards. It was too far, and she would be injured. Luckily she thought better of it, and stood still, folding her arms and tapping her foot in a fury, whereupon the stairs stayed still. Finally the top of the stairway fastened to his floor. Draco waited for her. He knew she would come. The stairs would not let her down, and she had nowhere to go but up. She thought herself brave, being a Gryffindor, and she was impulsive and a bit flighty. She wouldn’t just stay on the stairs. Sure enough, after a moment or two she slung her bag across her shoulder again, and came to meet him, her chin up, eyes sparkling, and wand at the ready. That was too easy. Draco had his hidden in his robes. “Accio wand,� he murmured, and her wand flew into his hand. Parvati flushed, and her steps grew faster. “How dare you take my wand!� she spat, her eyes sparking dangerously. Draco revised his ideas of her – perhaps she was not like a deer – perhaps she was more like a wolf. He began to enjoy himself.



“I don’t want to be hexed,� he said in a maddeningly reasonable tone, calculated to infuriate her. She was nearer now, and had no protection. Draco snaked his hand out and caught hers, dragging her to him, and capturing her other wrist. He looked into her furious eyes a moment, and then bent his head and kissed her again, as he had been longing to do since the last time he held her in his arms. Parvati tried to bring her knee up, but this time Draco knew what she was going to do, and blocked her. He tried to deepen the kiss as she struggled against him.



Parvati was frantic. The last thing she wanted to be was kissed in this fashion. If (or when) Draco kissed her, she wanted it to be different. More romantic and not a power struggle, with her bound to lose. Sexy conquerors were all very well to read about, but slightly different in real life. She struggled against him a bit harder, but only found that she was pressed more tightly against him, able to feel every solid muscle and …and….. This would never do – she was starting to want to drown into the kiss, and forget everything else. She had to do something! She bit down, hard, and Draco sprang away from her, hand to his mouth.



He took his hand away from his mouth, and saw blood. “Magicking Firewort, Parvati!� he exclaimed. He stepped toward her, a look of fury on his face. Parvati stepped back, nervous. His eyes looked dangerous, and for such a pale gray they also looked hot. At least heat in his eyes was better than the icy look she usually got. It looked more human, and was therefore less frightening. All the same, she backed as he advanced. Draco had backed her against the wall, and was almost touching her when she found her courage, dragged it kicking and struggling from where it was whimpering inside her stomach. This was Draco Malfoy. He was a Slytherin and a known bully and coward, and he did not have his wand out. She was a Gryffindor, and she would not be intimidated. She had to look up at him, as she put her hands, palm forward, between them, to ward him off.



�No further Draco. You want to kiss me, you have to earn it.� There. She had said it, and her voice had only shaken a little. He was startled at what she said, and so stopped to consider. She watched his eyelids droop as he weighed the implications of what she was saying. At least he had stopped. She blessed Padma and her star charts.



He was still towering over her. Parvati straightened her spine against the wall, and tried not to notice the nearness of him. It was difficult. If she looked straight ahead, her eyes were almost level with his collarbone. She could see the pulse beating in his throat. She could also feel the heat of him, from a few inches away, and smell the muskiness of his scent.



Draco took in the meaning of what she had said, but did not believe it. At last, he drawled, trying to insult her, “So you are going to kiss me, but there are conditions?� It was amazing she thought she could hand him conditions – all he had to do was reach out and grab her. He put one hand on the wall to the side of her head, to make the point. She was half trapped.



Parvati considered, dropping her eyes. “Well…� She didn’t like the mocking tone he had used. He was standing too close for her to think. She was made braver by the fact that he had not so far assaulted her again. She reached out and pushed him back a pace. “Do you mind crowding me Draco? It is making it hard to think.� Draco was a little put out at being pushed, but truth to tell, he didn’t actually mind for once. He was finding Parvati amusing. It was a bit like a sparrow trying to push a bear out of the way. He stepped backwards a few steps of his own accord, and looked down at her. He still couldn’t believe the way things were shaping up. He had thought he would be able to kiss her and get her out of his system. Never in a warlock’s wardrobe would he have thought she felt anything for him, or could ever want to be near him, let alone kiss him. Especially after what had happened the other night. However, he was intrigued, so he put his hands out to show he was not going to touch her, and waited.



Parvati looked at him, chewing on her lip. He was looking quite impassive, which unnerved her, and a tiny trickle of blood ran down from his lip, which made her feel guilty (but it was his own fault, she reminded herself.) Oh Merlin! He was waiting for her to come up with something – to explain what she meant. What exactly did she mean?



Parvati struggled with herself for a minute and then told the truth. She wasn’t very good at deception anyway.



“I would very much like to kiss you Draco – but under different circumstances,� she said candidly. “I have known you for years. You think I am lower than mud. You have never once said anything friendly to me; you take any chance you have to sneer or poke fun at me and my friends, and I am not going to be reviled and then kiss you passionately any time you feel I should, however handsome or attractive you are, even if I want to.�



Draco nearly fell over. Handsome? Attractive? Parvati wanted to kiss him? And the way she was looking at him under her lashes was almost flirtatious.



Parvati was still talking, “So if you ever want to kiss me, Draco Malfoy, you had better try to be friendly first. I wouldn’t mind kissing somebody who I knew I could share a joke with, or even someone whose first response was not to humiliate me. Furthermore,� (Merlin, she sounded like somebody’s attorney) “if you want me to kiss you, you will not grab me like a you would a flobberworm you were trying to strangle!� She met his eyes, for a long moment, putting all the challenge she could into them, not knowing whether he would back down, or grab her again. She felt almost compelled to add, “I am quite romantic, you know.�



Draco could not keep his expression passive. Open insults, passionate threats, hate or love he could deal with, if uneasily. Simplicity, he found was different. He felt himself responding to Parvati. For the first time too, he felt almost shy. This girl, whom he could break with one hand behind his back, was asking for – no, make that demanding – his friendship. He had terrified her, tried to force her to do something she didn’t want, and she was still offering him friendship and perhaps more. Something inside him that had frozen since Lilah had left broke now. His expression faltered, and his eyes dropped. He couldn’t respond. He didn’t know how. He had never actually had a friend. Subordinates, yes, lots of them, but nobody to whom he confided thoughts and nobody he ever really talked to. He had not been allowed friends. Malfoys commanded; they did not socialize. Parvati made him suddenly frightened of his own loneliness. He, Draco Malfoy, could not go through with this.


“I think I had better go now,� he said.



Parvati had expected at least a smile, but not this. He was waving his wand at the stair, which was uncurling before him. She grabbed his arm, horrified. She certainly hadn’t intended to scare him away. She couldn’t stop him any more than she could have stopped a hippogriff, so she trotted along beside him, taking two strides to his one. “Draco Malfoy, what is wrong with you?� she asked in exasperation. He did not respond, and Parvati stopped, out of breath. There was only one thing for it. “Blatulia!� she cried, aiming the wand at his feet. Draco was brought to a halt. There was no way he could move. His feet were stuck to the stairs with something gooey and purple, which came up a little way with his foot and then snapped his foot back down. Parvati ran down the stairs to him. “Draco, I’m sorry. It was the only way I could think of to get you to stop, short of the body bind.�



Draco’s face was a study, as he stared at the purple goop around his shoes. “What is it?� he snarled. Parvati looked even more guilty, almost like a child who has been caught jumping on the bed. “I’m not sure. It is something some of us made up when we came to Hogwarts the first year. We were kidding around outside the Ravenclaw common room, and I said that, and Padma was suddenly stuck in a pile of that stuff. I think it may be some form of chewing gum. Terry was going to try some to see if it was, but Padma wouldn’t let him – she thought it might do something horrible to him. Flitwick was quite furious with us all. He said we could accidentally have done something far worse, and gave us severe detentions to teach us not to make up words with our wands. It does wear off though,� she added anxiously, looking up at him. Draco, whose first instinct had been to blast her, realized that she had really not intended to humiliate him. She had even apologized. The ridiculousness of the situation suddenly struck him, and he began to laugh. It was the first time he could ever remember really laughing since he was eight – not sniggering, taunting or, as she had said, reviling. Just simply laughing. He laughed until tears ran out of his eyes. It felt wonderful.



Parvati listened entranced. His voice was a rich deep baritone, and she had never heard it so clearly before. Usually his bored and elegant tone made him sound a little effeminate and prissy. Now his whole face looked different. Far more handsome and far more human. She had certainly never heard him laugh before, unless it was a snigger at somebody else’s misfortune. Perhaps he wasn’t emotionally deficient after all. Perhaps she wasn’t out of her gourd to fancy him.



When he had finished, Draco wiped his streaming eyes, and sat down on the stairs. “So, how long do I have to stay here?� he asked.



“Only ten minutes or so,� Parvati reassured him. “Draco, why did you run away?�



Draco felt his eyes flash. “I did NOT run away! And I do not have to explain my actions.�



Parvati, who had been reassured by his laughter giggled, and sat down on the step next to him. “Yes, you do,� she said simply. “If you don’t, I am going to hex you, every opportunity I get. You will never have a free moment from worrying whether or not I am going to be standing around a corner with my wand and a horrible jinx. I’ll get Ginny to teach me her bat bogey hex.� Draco looked at her, startled, but there was no doubt about it. In spite of her seraphic smile, she meant what she said. Why did he have to go and pick on a Gryffindor? For Merlin’s sake, he should have thought. He knew how difficult Parvati could be before he ever started all this.



He twirled his wand in his hands looking down at it. He was so tired of carrying a burden and never sharing it. He was tired of his own company, and he was tired of being Draco Malfoy the Death Eater who was avoided at all costs. He wanted to hang out with a girl who would giggle and relax around him. He looked away, to where people were milling around below. When he spoke, the words were muttered and Parvati had to lean forwards to catch the words.



“ I don’t know how to be friends. I wouldn’t be any good at it.�



Parvati thought that the saddest thing she had ever heard. She put her hand on his knee. It was slender, with beautifully polished nails. “You could try. Hey, if you made a few mistakes, I might even overlook them.�



Draco daringly covered her hand with his. It was sending unaccustomed warmth through his thigh. “I may hurt you. I probably will.�



Parvati looked at him seriously now, but with a smile. “And I may cry if you do. But we can always pick up the pieces and start again.�



Just the simple fact that she was so close was difficult for him. Her mouth was so close, her hand so warm, her breath stirred his cheek. He was finding it difficult to breathe – and the girl wanted him to be her friend?



Parvati stood up. The spell she had shot at him was starting to recede, and she thought it best for her to go now, and give him some time to think before he could extricate himself. She was pretty sure his mood would not last, and did not want to stay around to be blasted when he realized he had let his guard down. She bent down, and before he realized what she was going to do, she had kissed him fleetingly on the cheek, taking her wand out of his holster at the same time. “I’ll see you later Draco.� She smiled at him and started down the stairs, her long legs reminding him of a gazelle again. He watched her go, and something remarkably like a grin crossed his face, although it felt very strange. As she reached the bottom of the stairs he called after her, “Parvati?� She stopped and turned around, her face questioning. “Wear your hair down!� he called daringly. She blushed furiously, wrinkled her nose at him, and walked off, in that bouncy way she had that made her pigtail flip from side to side.



********************



That evening, Draco opened the letter from his mother. One arrived every morning, without fail by owl post, and he had quite a collection, none of which he had yet opened. Peter had not written. He should have known better than to expect him to.



My Draco,

I hope you are reading these letters I send. I think of you all the time, and hope that things are not too difficult there for you at Hogwarts.

I am fine. We have slightly more money now, as I received my first paycheck today! Let me know if you need anything – just nothing too expensive! Life here is very different still. The Aurors are still here, and rather than have them parked outside in those tents, since we have a rather large house, they occupy the East Wing now. I do hope you don’t mind too much.

I was taken under escort to see your father yesterday. We did not talk much, there is nothing we can say without somebody listening, but he seemed to be fine. He was very angry to hear of the Aurors, naturally, but there is nothing he can do about it. He is still under heavy guard, but there are no Dementors left in Azkaban, so his life is not as difficult as it could have been. He is treated quite well, and even has some creature comforts in his cell. If you wish, you can write to him, although anything you send will be scanned for magic before it is given to him.

How are your Occlumency sessions going? I have been told you have a quite a talent for it.

Please write back sometime.



With all my love

Mother.



Draco sat and stared at the wall for a bit. He had not realized his mother had a job. Or that she was seeing his father still. He had thought she had given up on his father for good. It was food for thought. Maybe, just maybe he would write back soon. When he could think of anything to say, or how to write it. He was pretty sure he was not going to be writing to his father. He was glad Peter thought he had a talent for Occlumency. It was nice to know, right now, that he had a talent for anything. Perhaps at last things would start to get better.



He lay back in bed, and eventually Parvati’s face came into his head. He told himself that a Gryffindor would not entrap him, no matter how pretty she was, but even so, he fell asleep with almost a half smile on his mouth.



That evening Filch had a problem with the stairs. He couldn’t seem to get to it to figure out what the problem was. He suspected Fred and George, but since they were no longer at Hogwarts, he was not sure how they could have jinxed the stairs. Muttering vilely, he went to look for somebody who could help him. If only Professor Umbridge were still here!

WARNING - ANIMAGUS IN CHAPTER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ!

For the next couple of days, Parvati did not see Draco, except in passing, where she would see an expression on his face that looked like it could be a sort of smile. She was a bit surprised that he did not approach her, but after all, Draco had said that he really didn’t know how to be a friend, so it could be just that. Or it could be just that he had decided she was an annoying string-me-along, and had given up on her. Parvati leaned towards the first, because it was the scenario she preferred. Lavender, who had been horrified at Parvati, (partly because she was horrified anyway, and partly because she and Seamus were growing closer, and she knew Seamus wouldn’t approve) leaned toward the second. Parvati had been wearing her hair down specially, even though it was a pig to brush out every night, and she was daringly wearing a very slightly tinted sparkling pink polish on her nails, rather than the clear polish the school deemed appropriate for students. However, she didn’t seem to get close enough to start a proper conversation, so when they were asked to team up in Potions, she took all her courage in her hands, crossed over from the Gryffindor side of the classroom to the Slytherin side and sat down next to Draco. There was a muffled gasp from the whole classroom. Harry Potter stared at her as if she had gone soft in the head. Ron positively glared. Hermione’s eyes rounded.

Draco closed his mouth hurriedly, hoping nobody had noticed he was the most surprised. Somehow, when Parvati had decided they could be friends, he had assumed it would be a secret thing, to protect her from the sneers and jibes that were sure to be her portion.

Professor Snape was himself startled. He was already in a filthy humor, and now he walked down towards Parvati, his cloak flaring ominously.

“Ms. Patil. This is unprecedented.� His voice was more than usually sarcastic. Parvati muttered, “Yes, sir,� but stood her ground.

Snape’s lips turned up at the very corner again, making shivers run up most people’s spines. His voice was so dry it could have scorched a grindylow. “Magic help you Malfoy. Your perfect marks so far this term are about to be destroyed.� He turned and flicked a wand at the board, splattering words over it in a bad-tempered sort of way. “Your ingredients.� He turned viciously at the muted babble that had started, and snarled, “I realize that Ms. Patil has disregarded the unwritten constitution of this classroom that the Houses should be strictly segregated, but I find that no reason to gossip during my lesson. Any conversation should be strictly related to your cauldrons, and the components to put in them. Have I made myself clear? You may start now.� And now glaring acidly around the now soundless class, he flapped back up to the front of the classroom, where he glowered hulking behind his desk.

Parvati turned to Draco. “I hope I don’t mess things up for you,� she whispered. Draco had a minute to squash the automatic sneer that had risen to his lips. She did look; well, sweet, all anxious and big eyed. He noticed the polish, and approved. He had already noticed the hair. He made himself reach out for his wand instead, before he trusted himself to speak civilly, one eye on Snape. “How could you mess up? All we have to do is follow the directions and watch the timer. Here. Can you mince these juniper roots finely? I will start with the liquids�.

Parvati chopped for a while, watching Draco work. He was very relaxed about his potion. She knew she always looked just as harassed as she felt. It was odd, because she could cook very well, and enjoyed Muggle cooking, especially Indian food, and had always been so good at Potions – until this year. Her gaze slipped sideways. Draco’s high cheekbones were very handsome, and his hair a wonderful color. Marvelous lips – and she knew just how marvelous! Slender, competent hands with long fingers, that were not too soft to be attractive, (probably because of the Quidditch) but which had very nice fingernails. Parvati always noticed fingernails, because when she was younger, she had chewed on hers all the time. Now her nails were painted she chewed on her lip instead. Realizing she was doing that just now, she stopped.

Draco said, with some amusement “If you chop those any finer, they will be minced to nothing.�

Parvati looked up at him. He obviously knew she had been watching him, but if anything, he was pleased about it. Blushing, she started to dump the juniper roots into the potion, but Draco stopped her with an exclamation. He fished out the bits that had landed in the potion quickly and hopefully. The potion started to turn red. Draco hurriedly put in some thinly sliced slug, vainly hoping that would counterbalance the juniper roots. The potion turned purple and started to boil and whistle loudly and emit sparks. Parvati was aghast. She looked beyond Snape to the board, where at the very end of the instructions, was written: ‘IMPORTANT. Add the roots five minutes to the second after all other ingredients have been added. Stir twice and turn off the fire.’

Most of the rest of the class were now looking over at them, and their exploding potion. Exploding potions were not rare, but Draco was noted as never making mistakes. Harry was looking grimly pleased, and Ron was openly grinning. Hermione was stirring her perfect potion, and pretending they didn’t exist.

Snape strode triumphantly towards them, his glower replaced by a sort of gratified smirk. He waved his wand over the potion, which disappeared.

“Next time, Ms. Patil, could you read the instructions before you attempt the potion?� he asked in tone so sweet it could have killed a manticore (and was probably why the tank of biksnakers was found dead the next morning).

Parvati felt herself shriveling. Draco stood beside her, his head bowed, and shoulders shaking. “Malfoy!� Snape ground out. “Control yourself! I do not find incompetence remotely funny! You can have detention tonight. Ms. Patil, you can do extra homework, and 10 points from Gryffindor. I doubt another detention would help you and your feeble attempts to master this class. I want you to read this book, and write an essay on ‘The Timing and Apportioning of Ingredients circa 1697 with Particular Reference to Ceasar Guliami and his Work with Defense and Secrecy Solutions’.� He slapped a book down on the desk in front of her.

While Snape strode up to the front, his back straight, and his expression still smirking, Parvati looked at Draco nervously. She had just managed to ruin his Potions record, and also to land him in detention. His mouth was clamped together very tight, and he stared straight ahead, but suddenly she realized Snape was right. Draco wasn’t angry – he was trying not to laugh. She looked down at the book Snape had given her, which was thin and dry looking, and the funny side struck her. She too, had to bite her cheek hard to stop her own giggles from showing. Slowly, as Snape glared at them, they started to make another batch of Ceasar Guliami’s Woodland Illusion Solution. Parvati tried not to do anything until Draco told her, and this time it worked. She was actually quite thrilled. Snape merely grunted bad temperedly as he went around checking the potions before he let them out of class. He let Parvati and Draco out well after everyone else had left, not entirely pleased that they had managed a perfect brew in the end.

Outside, Draco leant back against the wall, and actually grinned at Parvati. For some reason, she was making him want to laugh a lot, and it was a new sensation that he enjoyed. She bit her lip. “Draco, I am so sorry. I never thought…I just walked over….I should have known I would spoil it for you……..� She stood on the edges of her black court shoes, and looked at him guiltily. She reminded him of an anxious first year called to McGonagall’s office, which he found even funnier.

He flashed her a short but genuine smile. “Don’t worry Parvati! It was worth it just to see your face! You aren’t kidding, your potions are terrible.�

He watched as her face fell, and felt clumsy. For once he had just been stating a fact, not trying to run her down, but she had taken it personally. After all, he didn’t have a good record in the teasing department. “I am sorry about the detention too,� she blurted. “He should have given it to me, not you.� She turned to walk away, and Draco caught up with her. He had not been absolutely sure he wanted to get involved with her, as the thought was rather scary, but now he was horribly afraid that he had blown any chance at friendship.

“The detention wasn’t your fault. It was mine. Besides, the potion was my fault as well, really. You were distracted by my….� He stopped, embarrassed, but after a moment his natural arrogance returned, “handsome and attractive face. I caught you looking, and you got flustered and chucked in the juniper roots. My fault. I could have pretended I didn’t notice.�

She looked at him sideways, “You do realize that is twice you have apologized to me?� she asked, and was rewarded by his quick scowl. This time she didn’t take it seriously and giggled. “You’d better watch out, or it will become a habit.�

As he was still scowling, she swayed sideways as they walked, and bumped into him, knocking him off course for a second, as he had not been expecting anything of the kind. Had it been anyone else, he would have jinxed him or her immediately. Since it was Parvati, and she was smiling, and therefore prettier than usual, and obviously teasing him, he grunted, baffled, sounding a bit like Goyle. He wasn’t sure he liked the way he felt around Parvati – a little off center, and a little dazzled – but she just wouldn’t be treated like Pansy, or any of the other girls he had been out with before. He couldn’t ever remember anyone giggling when he frowned, or anybody being so irreverent. He was used to being treated with either the greatest respect or the greatest hatred.

Parvati saw his expression, and wisely stopped teasing him for the moment. If she wanted to be with Draco, she would have to go slowly, she reminded herself. And she didn’t want to lose him. She remembered the last time she really had a crush on somebody. Harry Potter. She had been beyond thrilled when he asked her to the Tri-Wizard Tournament Ball, and had even bullied Padma into going with Ron, who she didn’t particularly like. Parvati had turned down quite a few people, hoping Harry would ask her, had been delighted when he had, and then he had spent the whole evening watching Cho! She had been humiliated and disappointed, and Padma had been furious with her, as Ron was surly and rude and obviously just interested in Hermione. She had been so relieved when the boys from Beauxbatons had come to her rescue. She still wrote to Jean sometimes. Harry, of course, had not had a clue – probably still didn’t, bless him! She had got over Harry years ago, but it had been difficult. Now she was interested in his arch nemesis. She glanced over at Draco, who was walking along with a curiously blank expression. She stopped impulsively, and he stopped too, looking at her enquiringly.

“Draco, why do you close off all your expression?� she asked, curious. “You never used to when you first came to Hogwarts.� For a moment she thought Draco was not going to answer, but it seemed he was still determined to be on his best behaviour.

“My father was very upset that I showed my feelings in my face so much. He thought it would upset the Dark Lord if I showed any disgust or compassion in my Joining Ceremony. I have been working on schooling my expression for the last couple of years.� He added bitterly, “It has come in useful since he was put into Azkaban. If I walked around looking miserable, people would be able to gloat.� Parvati looked at him, as his face contorted with suppressed anger, and was almost scared, his eyes glittered so. His voice had changed too. It was rougher, but not in a sexy way – it sounded unkind, more hate filled. She decided it might be wise to calm him a little. She touched his arm, and after starting a little, he looked down at her hand, and his breathing finally slowed to normal.

Parvati chose her words with care. “Draco, I really don’t think people would gloat. Maybe a very few people, but most people feel sorry for you, or scared of you. Losing your father to Azkaban can’t have been easy, and many people do not know whether or not you are a Death Eater.�

Draco was more furious than he could ever have remembered being before. “People feel sorry for me?� he shouted, losing all shreds control. “Is that what you feel? Poor Draco, must cheer him up? Is that what you gossip about? Because if it is, you can get lost! I never want to see you again.�

Parvati gasped. His face was definitely expressive now; he was in a towering rage. She wasn’t scared either, she too, was furious, especially the bit about gossiping, because like anyone else that has a bad habit, Parvati would have been the first to declare (and believe) that she never gossiped. How dare he attack her like this, and completely distort everything? She shouted back:

“If you don’t want people to feel sorry for you, stop lumping yourself around like some kind of miserable crow at a funeral. You never speak to anybody, you isolate yourself and you mope about with a blank expression. I am NOT trying to teach you manners, although it would certainly be nice if you could cultivate some. If you want people to go back to hating you again instead of ignoring you or trying to like you, which may actually be fun, go back to acting like an immature snot-rag, the way you have every other year! Go be a Death Eater. Enjoy torturing people to death. Bring misery on hundreds of lives. Have fun, be my guest – you can start with me if you want!� Her voice had been rising, and toward the end, it was a pure cry of rage.

Although he had been truly furious to start with, Draco found her shouting at him rather amusing – until she reached the part about Death Eaters, when he went back to being enraged. He gripped her arm hard above the elbow, bringing her up on her toes toward him so that he could spit the words right in her face. “I am not a Death Eater Parvati. I am not going to be one, either!�

He glared at her, locking gazes with eyes as fiery as his own. Parvati refused to back down. They glared at each other for what seemed a long while. Eventually however, Draco started - however much he tried not to - to see the humour in the situation again. Here he was, clutching Parvati, who was about half his height, and slender to boot, both of them mad as Norwegian Ridgebacks on a bad day. And he had made his decision without knowing it. After having agonized for days, and lost sleep about it, he had blurted it out in a moment of anger without even thinking about it. He was definitely not going to join the Death Eaters. He fought down amusement and relief. As his eyes lost their focused glare, so did hers. Draco found himself looking into grave eyes the color of bittersweet chocolate, and losing an internal battle with himself. He gave a short laugh. And leaned forward.

Parvati reared back almost skittishly. “What are you doing?� she asked. She was suddenly so nervous; her voice almost came out in a neigh. Draco’s own voice was hardly more than a deep gravelly whisper in her ear. “Making up. Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do?� He loosened her arm carefully, showing her that she could run if she chose, and found her lips with his. She didn’t run. In fact, he felt her tremble, and then she reached up on tiptoe to make it easier for him. She tasted of rosewater and lilies. Her velvety eyes closed, leaving her long lashes sweeping her warm dark cheeks. Draco slid his hand into her hair, reveling in the feeling of it, soft, heavy and silken between his fingers. His other hand slipped around her waist to press her closer to him. It was a long kiss, and was indescribable. There was passion in there, but also acceptance, respect and, if not yet love, liking. Draco had never felt this way before. All he knew was that he didn’t want it to stop. Parvati ran her hands up his shoulders. Someone groaned, and he realized it was him. Parvati sighed softly, encouraging him as he took the kiss deeper. She slipped her hands into his hair, smoothing it back from his face, stoking the back of his neck, cupping his face. When things were starting to heat up too much, he stepped back from her. Her bright eyes were now marvel filled. His own felt dreamy. He still couldn’t believe the wonder of it.

As he watched her swollen lips and brilliant eyes, she cupped her hand behind his head and pulled him toward her again. In that instant, something seemed to crack inside him, and Draco was lost. He kissed her wildly, holding her head between his hands. He rained kisses all over her face, and then buried his face in her neck, just holding her tightly for a long time, while Parvati stroked his back again and again, from nape to tailbone.

When Draco looked up, his eyes were fiercely bright, so bright they looked dangerous, although he had not shed tears. Parvati did not move away, and kept stroking his back with her hands until he started to look back more normal. As she saw him regain his normal sneering self, she grinned up at him.

“How about we just skip the friends part, and go straight to the boy and girlfriend part?� she asked. “I don’t kiss all my friends like that you know. At least, not very often!�

Draco looked at her sideways and decided that he was old-fashioned enough to make the decision himself. “You are getting bossy, Patil. I haven’t been asked out by a girl before and I am not going to be this time. I asked you first!�

Parvati gasped in mock horror. “Draco, I’m sorry! I should have told you first thing. I am terribly bossy. I speak before I think, I bulldoze people into doing things and I talk a lot. Most people think I’m an airhead. I think the colour of your nail polish is as important as World Peace. Oh, and I can tell the difference between Tarskein seeds and rat dropping, which is gross. I can’t think of anything else, but I am sure Padma or Lavender could fill you in on the finer details.�

Draco gave a shout of laughter. “Then I guess I will have to talk to Padma or Lavender.� He felt a bit troubled. Perhaps for the first time he was thinking more of someone other than himself. “Parvati, I don’t think I am cut out to be a good boyfriend. You could do a lot better. I don’t even like a lot of your friends. In fact, to be quite honest, I loathe a lot of your friends. Why pick me? I am sure you have a lot of offers.�

Parvati began to walk, and he fell into step beside her. She pursed her lips, considering him. “Its not like I am the first girl to fall for an attractive face!� she joked, and then saw from his face that he wanted a real answer. “I don’t know. I do go out a lot, but I keep usually keep it quite superficial. So far that has been more fun. Maybe I just like the slight sense of danger. Or perhaps I think you are fun to be with when you loosen up a little. And you are really good at kissing. And hey! None of my friends like you either, so we’re even on that!� She tucked her arm through his. “Plus you smell good.� She looked up at him smiling. “And I really mean that.�

He raised his eyebrows at her. Her voice had sounded almost different. “What do you mean?�

“Well, I guess I can tell you. Padma seems to think you are safe enough. I have a very heightened sense of smell. I am an Animagus. I always have been, since I was little. Only I can do different animals – but they are always black. It used to happen all the time when I was young. In fact I didn’t really have too much control over it then. I really scared my parents when I was a baby once. They left Padma and me alone in our crib, and when they came back, Padma was playing with a black kitten. They just about went berserk looking for me until I changed back, and they worked out what had happened! I am working with McGonagall a bit, but I am not very good at colors. I am sort of getting the hang of it with tigers, at least I can do a sort of lighter gray, but the stripes are still black, and I look very weird as a zebra.� She kicked her toe along the ground gloomily. “McGonagall thinks I am not putting in the work properly, but I really am! I just flat out can’t do colours! It isn’t that I don’t try. In fact, if I wasn’t a twin born to an Animagus father – who is registered, and himself a twin - I probably wouldn’t be able to do anything at all. Most of my family are registered Animagi, and we also have the Lycanthropy gene from a grandfather.� She paused, looking up at him. “You are the only other person that knows that, apart from Padma and some of the staff. I was in the news a while before we started Hogwarts, and I really can’t let anybody know that was me, so you have to keep it quiet.�

Draco looked at her incredulous, memories coming back. “You mean you were the girl in the Daily Prophet who turned into a Norwegian Ridgeback and caused millions worth in damage, and hundreds of man hours to modify Muggle memories?� He whistled, remembering the front-page spread, that had captured his attention a couple of years before he came to Hogwarts. In fact, that it what started him reading the newspapers.

Parvati winced. “The thing was,� she said, “It was the Ministry who called me in for testing. They asked if I could do anything, and I did loads of different stuff – all black – and they asked me if I could do a Norwegian Ridgeback. Well, I tried, and apparently I looked like one, but there is something with a dragon brain that doesn’t fit with human thought, so I got out of control, and sort of ran amuck, until they got in a few stunners. Once I was hit, I turned human again, only I was really ill from the stunners, being only nine at the time, and I was in hospital for a long time. That is the bit they didn’t print." she added bitterly. "The article was all about me smashing things up, but they were the ones that asked me to try a Ridgeback! My parents asked me to keep it a secret from the Ministry then, because the doctors said I was a danger to myself. My mum could see them taking me away from her, and putting me in some medical institution like St. Mungos. So when I was better, they asked me to do some more testing, and I just pretended that I couldn’t do it any more. They thought they had damaged me with the Stunners.

McGonagall wasn’t so easy to fool though, she found out the second day I was here. I really fancied eating some grass, and having a gallop, and so I changed shape and became a horse – that’s my favorite - only of course there aren’t any horses around Hogwarts. And McGonagall was outside doing her tabby thing. I didn’t recognize her when I looked around to make sure I was safe. I couldn’t see any people around, so I changed back, and then this tabby was suddenly growing in front of me, became McGonagall and I was being dragged to Dumbledore’s. I can tell you I was petrified!�

Draco was fascinated, remembering seeing a black horse galloping across the hills while he did his early morning Quidditch practice. To be honest, he had more than once zoomed down and ‘buzzed’ it, to make it gallop away in fright. He saw from Parvati’s eyes that she was remembering this, and changed the subject hurriedly. “Do all Animagi get cravings for different foodstuffs?� he asked.

Parvati frowned. “No. Other animagi can assume the shape of an animal, but retain their human selves. I get very taken over by the character of the animal I assume, and sometimes, as in the case of the Ridgeback, it consumes me.� For a minute she nearly told him about Crookshanks, and how he recognized her, but it wasn’t her story to tell, so with a tremendous effort, she held it back.

Draco was silent for a few minutes. He was very taken aback. He thought that he had Parvati’s measure. He had her pegged as a bit of an airhead, who was incredibly pretty and loyal to her friends. Now he was finding far more than he had bargained for. In fact, he was beginning to have a slight feeling of inferiority. At their first real meeting, she had promptly kneed him in the balls so badly he was out for the count. Then she showed real strength of character at their second meeting and now she was an Animagus. Draco was not used to feeling second best to anybody, especially not an intimate. After all, for years he had hung out with Crabbe and Goyle. Not exactly challenging material, but very good bodyguards. He struggled with the feeling, knowing it was not exactly fair, but he could not help saying, slightly resentfully, “Well, hearing all this, I am amazed we are together. Maybe you should pair up with the marvelous Harry Potter instead.�

‘Been there, done that,' Parvati thought ruefully. She stopped, and turned to face him. “Draco Malfoy. If you want to continue seeing me, you had better get used to the fact that there are some things I am going to be able to do better than you. I am definitely not Crabbe or Goyle. However, if it makes you feel better, the thing I can do isn’t something I have worked on. In fact, in ancient times I would probably have been put to death as a freak. I can’t fly a broom like you can, and I am definitely the dunce in Potions. I mean, if I had a gift, why couldn’t I have been a Metamorphagus? I like animals, and it is quite fun having a gallop once in a while, but I would really love to be blonde sometimes.�

Draco gaped at her, not really sure what to say in return to that. Blonde for a while? Here was a girl who had more given to her at birth than anyone he knew, just because she was a twin of a twin in a family of Animagi. She was really beautiful anyway and she wanted to be blonde? How flighty was it possible to get? He reverted back to her earlier statement, as that was easier to deal with. “Wait! I’m not getting something. Where do Crabbe and Goyle come in? Did I mention Crabbe and Goyle?�

Parvati shrugged. “Well, they are the only people you used to hang out with, except for Pansy, and she is dead scared of you now.�

Draco looked at her suspiciously. “Well, actually,� he admitted, “You were accurate. I was thinking about Crabbe and Goyle. I thought you might be a Legilimens as well?�

Parvati laughed. “No – it’s just the famous women’s intuition! I should warn you, as you probably don’t know but Padma is a Seer. She took after my mother – my mother is a twin too - where I took after our father. Not many people really know, as she manages to keep it very secret. But I don’t have the same gift, although I could probably get by as a high street hack. I don’t know that I would actually like to be a Legilimens either though – imagine being able to see somebody’s thoughts?� she gave a shudder. Draco flushed.

“Actually it is something I am getting to be quite good at,� he confessed. “I studied Occlumency and Legilimency pretty much all summer, all day every day. There was not much else to do, and there is only so long you can fly in an enclosed space by yourself without being bored. Also Occlumency and Legilimency can be practiced to a certain extent without incurring the ‘Misuse of Underage Magic Laws’. I need a partner though, as I really need the practice. I have too much of the theory.�

They had reached the Great Hall, where everyone was sitting down to lunch. Parvati rose up on her toes, and kissed Draco on the mouth in full view of everyone, practically Petrifying him. “Well, I don’t know if practicing with me is going to help you, or just make you incredibly big headed when you breach my defenses!� she admitted. “Harry Potter would be a good person. He has actually done some Occlumency.� She would have carried on, but suddenly became aware of the silence.

She turned around, to see nearly everybody looking at them, with varying expressions of amazement.

Parvati blushed, and looked back at Draco. He looked very strained, and pushed her towards the Gryffindor table. “Better go and have some lunch,� he muttered. “I’ll see you later.�

He slouched off to the Slytherin table, where he could hear catcalls starting. He was starting to sulk a little, when he thought of something. Parvati had entrusted him with a really big secret. Presumably Padma knew, and of course Dumbledore and McGonagall, but he didn’t think she had told anybody else. He straightened, suddenly feeling incredibly complete. She not only fancied him, she trusted him. She really trusted him.

On the other hand, she did seem to blurt out secrets at the drop of a hat. She shouldn’t have told him about Padma, and she really shouldn’t have told him about her animagus status. Perhaps she had told all her other boyfriends too. After all, she didn’t know him that well.

However, all in all, he still felt pretty good about himself. He raised a supercilious brow at Blaise, and tried not to look too smug, as he slid into his seat at the Slytherin table. Such was the force of his personality that the jeers turned to admiration.

Neither Parvati nor Draco saw Dumbledore drop his head into his hands at the top table, his shoulders bowing as if a huge weight he had been holding up had just been lifted from his shoulders. The barrier had been crossed. The Slytherins were no longer isolated. Hogwarts could only benefit, and grow stronger. Once two students were interacting, it would only be a short time before many more were.

Meanwhile, full of gossip, Parvati made her way to her own table, desperate to sit by Lavender and fill her in on everything. She swung her bag down by the chair next to Lavender, but Lavender got up, and moved away, as if Parvati smelled bad. Parvati opened her mouth, surprised, and then caught Hermione’s expression. She had her lip curled in aversion. Ron looked disgusted, and Harry wouldn’t look at her. It was left to Neville to enlighten her.

“I can’t believe you are fraternizing with the enemy Parvati!� Unconsciously echoing Ron, his normally good-natured face was scornful. Parvati looked around the table, and saw all the Gryffindors looking at her with disapproval - even the first years! Her stomach dropped, and she felt a bit sick. She wasn’t used to being unpopular. And Neville was overreacting.

“Draco is not the enemy,� she said severely, as if he were young and foolish. “You’re being melodramatic, Neville.�

Harry, remembering Neville defending him in the Ministry of Magic, felt his ire rise. Neville was not stupid, and she had no right to take that tone with him. He met Parvati’s eyes squarely. “That is not how I see it,� he said flatly, his mouth grim.

Parvati, who was feeling slightly flustered and guilty, was taken aback. She knew she had been rude to Neville, but she had wanted the subject dropped. Now she let her anger get the better of her, and she said haughtily, before she could think: “Not that it is any of your business, Harry, but Draco wasn’t at the Department of Mysteries, if that is what you are referring to.�

Harry’s face went bone white. Hermione wished she had thought to tell him that the news was circulating around Hogwarts. She had not seen that expression on his face since early that summer.

Ron saw red. He had no idea how she found out about it, but she hadn’t been there, and she couldn’t know everything that had happened. Harry looked terrible, almost as if she had hit him with a curse. The Department of Mysteries was something that they all found difficult to think about, and Parvati’s tone seemed to demean everything they had done there. Ron was simply furious. “Darling Draco didn’t need to be. His father was there.� He saw her startled expression, and would have stopped, but a tidal wave of anger carried him on.

“What about all the other things that you know about? The sneers and taunting we have all had to put up with? Buckbeak? Trying to get Hagrid fired? Playing at being a Dementor to get Harry to fall off his broom at the Quidditch game? And…but I guess you are from a pureblood wizarding family yourself, so you wouldn’t mind all the jibes that people like Hermione have had to take. Didn’t you see that horrible smirk he wore when she was Petrified? What was it he said when we saw Mrs. Norris? Something about “Mudbloods�, wasn’t it?�

He stopped, mainly because he had run out of breath, his ears scarlet.

Parvati lowered her head uncomfortably. Draco was certainly guilty on most of those counts, and she could see why Ron and Harry were upset. She lost some of her confidence, and said in a smaller tone, “He has done some horrible things, but he is not a Death Eater, whatever his father is.� She gained courage from her convictions, and carried on in a more certain voice. “You must admit that having a Slytherin on our side would be a huge advantage – the Talking Hat even said we have to stick together!�

Attacking Ron on his weakest flank, she turned to Hermione. “Hermione, you are the one that is always telling us that!�

Hermione winced, irritated and wishing desperately she had not talked to Parvati during detention. She thought of the DA, and the constant care Harry had taken with Parvati and her Patronus so that she could get it right. Parvati had learned a lot, and also seen a lot during those meetings. If she gave any information to Draco on Harry’s strengths and style, it could be dangerous. Now with a few of her careless words, (although Hermione had told her how hard Harry was taking the Department of Mysteries exploit) Harry was looking ill again.

“We do need to stick together,� she said in a low voice, vibrant with anger. “But remember what Professor Moody said? Constant vigilance? Well, with Malfoy, I would use more than that. Malfoy is not safe. He has been attached to the Dark Arts from birth, and his family are staunch supporters of V-Voldemort.� There was a general wince around the table as she said the name. Even Parvati flinched.

Parvati stood up defiantly. “Draco is safe! Padma’s star chart said so!�

Harry clapped a hand to his forehead and Hermione stared at her blankly as if she had suddenly gone mad. Neville groaned and dropped his head into his hands and Seamus said, very sarcastically, “Star Charts! Well then he MUST be safe. Let’s all go grab a Slytherin pal!�

Lavender turned on Parvati, siding with Seamus. “For once, use the sense you were born with Parvati! You know that Divination is not the answer to everything! I mean, even I’m not that stupid!�

Parvati picked up her bag her feelings hurt more than she could have thought possible. She and Lavender had had their fallings out, but she knew that right now, things were as bad between them as it was possible to get, even though she knew Lavender was playing more to her audience of Seamus and would not have been so belligerent on her own. Her appetite was completely gone, and her eyes were starting to smart. She spoke again without thinking.

“I am not being stupid. You all are. How are we going to face the future if we can’t forget the past?�

Harry, who was still white, flung back at her bitterly “I can face the future because I do remember the past.� He was trembling now with the strain, and Parvati knew he was remembering his parents and Cedric. And her mother would remember her brother and her nieces and nephews, who had been killed by Death Eaters before she and Padma were born. And there were others who had lost family and friends, who would not be able to forget. Her resolve started to crumble.

“I’m so sorry Harry,� she whispered, almost in tears now. “I didn’t mean that. Perhaps not the whole past, but certain aspects of it have to be forgotten.�

Seamus broke in again, disgusted. He had his own personal axe to grind, and as far as he saw it, Parvati was letting down the whole of Gryffindor House by seeing Malfoy. “So you now have a thing about Malfoy, is what you are saying, so we need to forget that part of the past? All carry on as if we are good friends and always have been? Are you forgetting the rumors, and the help he gave to the Daily Prophet to get Harry discredited?� Lavender nodded, backing him up, and he moved very slightly closer to her. The whole Gryffindor table now seemed to know what was going on, and they were all ears.

Hermione spoke as if through a dream, and not as if she particularly liked what she was saying. “Parvati is right,� she said. “We need as many allies as we can get.� She held a hand up to check Ron, who appeared about to choke. “I don’t believe in the Star Charts any more than you all do, but Dumbledore let Malfoy come back to Hogwarts. That has to say something.�

Dean spluttered, “He also lets Snape work here!�

Ron appeared about to reply, but Hermione elbowed him in the stomach. Nobody apart from her, Harry and Ron knew that Snape was really working for Dumbledore as a spy. Ron rubbed his stomach and looked at Hermione’s back, hurt. Didn’t she know he wouldn’t give Snape away? She must really have a poor opinion of him.

He said what he had been going to say, “Dumbledore is not infallible Hermione. What about Quirrel? He had You Know Who in the back of his head. And don’t forget Barty Crouch prancing around as Mad Eye Moody!�

Unexpectedly Ginny spoke up from halfway down the table. “I don’t think we should judge people on their past performance. I mean…look at me.� Her ears were as red as Ron’s could ever get, and her face so white her freckles stood out, but she carried on, with everybody looking at her. “I was the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets.�

“You were possessed!� Harry said hotly and fiercely, only just beating Ron to it. “That is completely different! Malfoy has no excuse for any of his past behaviors!�

There was a babble of voices, agreeing or disagreeing, which suddenly cut off.

“Half time!� Draco drawled into the silence from behind Parvati. He laid his hands on her shoulders possessively, and pulled her back against him, leaning down into her speak into her ear, but making sure everyone could hear him. “Are you having problems, Dear Heart?�

Parvati melted inside to hear those words, spoken loudly so nobody could mistake their meaning. She was his girlfriend, and he didn’t want anybody to upset her. She had never heard the endearment before, and found it old fashioned, but charming. Very pure blood aristocratic – she couldn’t imagine anyone except Draco saying it. Seamus was making gagging noises, but she didn’t care. She reached up to Draco's cheek. “Not really. Maybe at first things were a little difficult, but it is easier now. You?�

She could feel his smirk through the palm of his hand. “Are you kidding? The prettiest girl in the year? They are all asking me my secret.� The other Gryffindors were still silent. They had all heard the threat in Malfoy’s voice, and had noticed the protective attitude he had taken toward Parvati. None of them were sure what to do about it. After all, Parvati was a Gryffindor. It would be unthinkable having an argument with a Slytherin present. Between themselves, yes, but in front of Malfoy?

As they stood, Draco confounded them further. He stood up and his eyes flicked from Hermione to Ron and then to Harry. Parvati could feel the tension in him, as he looked straight at Harry, with cold eyes. He had made this concession for Parvati's sake, when he saw the trouble she was having, and it cost him in both pride and humiliation. When he spoke, his voice was scornful, and he was looking down his long nose.

“Potter. I don’t like you, and I don’t like your friends. But I am sorry for your loss.� He sounded defiant, indeed, almost insolent. Those who had not yet heard the gossip about Sirius being Harry's godfather looked bewildered.

Harry looked up and met Draco’s eyes, and to his surprise, found him quite sincere. “I don’t like you either, but – thanks,� he said stiffly, and then, in a little rush, not quite sure of how to put it, “I’m sorry for yours too – I mean, your father being in Azkaban.� Draco nodded curtly in acknowledgement, his face set, as others slowly nodded, following Harry’s lead. He then pulled Parvati away from the table with him, leaving a silence behind them.

As they left, the Hufflepuff table sighed collective sighs of relief, and put their wands down. Their table was next to the Gryffindor table, and with the tensions that had been running high they had expected to be deflecting a volley of jinxes at the very least.

Draco and Parvati walked hand in hand down to the lake, and sat on some rocks. Draco pulled some rolls out of his bulging pockets. “Thought you weren’t getting anything to eat,� he remarked.

Parvati laughed, a little shakily, very touched but still upset and miserable. “And there I was thinking you were pleased to see me,� she said. Draco raised his eyebrows questioningly, and she shrugged. “Muggle joke! I went to a Muggle primary school, so I still have Muggle friends.� She twisted her long hair and tied it into a knot behind her, to stop it blowing into her face.

They sat silently on the rocks together, Parvati just starting to realize the problems she was going to have to face. Draco watched her expressive face, his own darkening. “We should have kept this a secret.�

Parvati turned on him. “Never! Why should I hide you? Should I be ashamed of you?� She quieted down a little. “Why did you try to get Hagrid fired anyway?� she muttered, picking at her nail polish.

Draco grimaced. Her housemates were getting to her already. However, he knew he was going to have to answer certain questions eventually. He started flinging random pebbles into the lake. “Orders really. My father wanted him gone. I have always done everything my father ever asked. I didn’t feel one way or the other about the Hippogriff really, but wailing about it seemed to be a good way to get rid of Hagrid and upset Harry at the same time.

“Actually I was kind of surprised they focused on the Hippogriff; it was Hagrid they were supposed to be after. I think someone in the Ministry against illegal breeding got in on the act, and decided the beast should be destroyed. I didn’t tell them about the others, or they would probably have slaughtered the whole herd. I know it isn’t much in my defense, but I always wondered why nobody realized that.�

He looked sideways to see how she was taking it. Her profile looked sad, but that was all. He carried on. “My father was furious about Hagrid getting off though. He thought he should have been fired as a teacher.� He tossed stones in the lake, scowling. “Even now I don’t see that it would have been too much of a loss to get rid of Hagrid as a teacher then anyway. I mean those – what were they? Skrewts?�

Parvati suddenly giggled and wrinkled her nose. “I know! Weren’t they awful? I wouldn’t go near them. And I want to be a Magical Animal Healer! I didn’t really enjoy the classes until Professor Grubbly-Plank turned up, and I met my first Unicorn. It was then I realized what it was I wanted to do. I am glad it is her taking the classes now. I don’t think Hagrid was ever a good teacher – we wasted so much time and trouble on flobberworms.

“The skrewts may have been more interesting if he had gone into breeding techniques, but all we did was feed them while not knowing what they ate, or where their heads were, and getting stung and burned all the time. Now Hagrid is Head Keeper of the Menagerie, I get on with him much better, even though I don’t approve of his breeding methods. I am against genetic mutation, whereas Hagrid is all for it. I liked the Hippogriffs though. Hagrid still has his herd in the forest, and lets me feed them with him sometimes. I am so glad Buckbeak managed to get away, but he must be lonely, as they are herd animals.�

Draco continued to fling pebbles into the water. He couldn’t quite see Parvati, with her polished nails and addiction to finery being an animal healer, but he supposed it took all sorts. After all, if she could turn into animals, supposedly she could doctor them. Anyway, at this juncture it was safer to keep his mouth shut than to say what he thought. Their relationship had not reached the stage where she would feel comfortable with him saying what he thought about it.

He flung a few more stones into the lake, his mouth set, as he realized that he didn’t actually know Parvati that well. She was quite lovely, but had a beautiful face captured him? He was uncomfortable with the thought, as he prided himself on his taste in women. He didn’t think she was brainless though, although she certainly came across that way sometimes. She had stood up to him to what looked like the whole Gryffindor table, which gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside, that vaguely embarrassed him.

Her friends were right. He had done everything he could during the previous school years to make sure the Gryffindors hated him. Not only had he disliked Harry (and especially Ron and Hermione) intensely, he had been desperately trying to win his father’s approval with petty harassment of anyone who was not a Slytherin. (He must admit he had enjoyed most of it too. Saintly Potter with his herd of Dumbledore-approved Gryffindors! Wandering around like everyone else was a second-class citizen, just because they were dressed in red and gold.)

Parvati took Draco’s hand in hers, interrupting the strain of unprofitable thought that had taken root in his mind. She stroked it softly, guessing part of what he was thinking. “It’ll be alright in the end. They are my friends, and they will come around. But you have made yourself very unpopular, and it will take a while for them to get used to you. It will be difficult for me at first, because of the circumstances, but I am sure it will even out eventually. It is not as if we are all children still.�

Draco scowled. “What about me getting used to them?� he asked a bit sulkily. Without waiting for an answer, as he knew that had been childish, he heaved himself up, and held out his hand for Parvati’s. “Come on. I have a study period, and since I went through your bag, “ he ignored Parvati’s indignant gasp “I know you have too. Let’s get to work on those Potion essays – you have two, and you could definitely do with a hand.�


Later that evening, Draco reported to Snape’s office for detention, but Snape was not there. He kicked his heels in the passageway for about ten minutes before deciding just to go in. At least he could get some work done while he was there. It was over an hour before he realized Snape must have forgotten. He was puzzled, but not disappointed to miss detention. And it was Snape’s fault, so there was no way he could be blamed. He was a weird old bird, Snape. Perhaps he had decided to favour Draco again. Draco left the office and went back to the Slytherin common room.

It was the next morning that the rumors started. There was a covering Professor taking the Potions class. Snape had not been seen since the previous morning – the lesson in which he assigned Parvati her extra Potions essay.

Nobody knew who started the rumors, but it was whispered that Snape had been playing a game of double espionage for Dumbledore with You Know Who, and You Know Who had found out.

Sorry about the long silence on this story. Unbelieveable workload. All cleared now, so should have some time to write!



In the afternoon, after a long argument with Parvati, which she eventually won by sheer persistence and by looking very like a cross between someone’s pet puppy and a sex siren, Draco looked for Harry Potter. He found him in the library, with Ron and Hermione, surrounded by tottering piles of charm books, and walked straight up, still seething at the insinuation that perhaps he was a little nervous of Potter’s powers. “Potter. I need to talk to you.�

Harry understandably raised his eyebrows warily, got his wand out under the table, and did not budge. Draco went right ahead, ignoring Ron and Hermione completely.

Perhaps because he was nervous, in spite of assuring Parvati that nothing about Harry was at all intimidating, his voice came out in an arrogant snobby tone. Of course, that is the way he usually spoke, so he may just have sounded like that anyway. “I need to practice Occlumency with somebody. Parvati said you might be a good option.� Harry’s jaw dropped, and Hermione and Ron stared. Harry found his voice.

“Why me?� he asked with deep suspicion.

Draco hated admitting it, in fact it had taken him a while arguing with Parvati, who just thought Harry so wonderful that Draco was insanely jealous and had made her cry, and then over two hours battling with his own feelings for him to come at all. His lips twisted into a ferocious sneer, and he sounded sulky. “Because you have already studied it. Added to which you loathe me, so you’ll try harder to break me, which will be better practice for me.�

Harry looked at him again searchingly trying not to feel oddly flattered, and then nodded curtly. “OK. I could do with the practice too.� He started to pack his things away, and Hermione and Ron looked at him, worried. “Harry!� hissed Hermione, “Remember what happened with Snape! You don’t want Malfoy of all people diving into any secrets you may have!�

“Oh, I don’t think I will have as much to worry about with Malfoy. Remember I have been studying with Dumbledore!� retorted Harry, a bit annoyed. Hermione should know he was more than a match for Malfoy. He knew too, that she was trying to hint that he shouldn’t give away any secrets about the Order of the Phoenix, and that annoyed him a bit too. He wasn’t about to.

Draco looked over at Hermione, derision on his face. “Don’t lose your house-elf Granger – “

She inserted crisply “Like your family did, Malfoy?�

Draco scowled, and ignored her. “I will leave Potter intact. Besides,� he put on a bit of a pout, and leaned across the table to her, “the Weasel King might appreciate some time alone with you!� He made an obnoxious loud kissing noise, intent on finally humiliating the Granger into silence, and followed Harry with a bit of a swagger, leaving Hermione and Ron, looking after him, both blushing furiously, avoiding each other’s eyes. If Ron had not been so scarlet, Hermione would probably have been able to make a comeback, but she glanced at him, and his all-too-obvious expression left her, for once, with nothing to say and a warm tide of crimson mottling her face and neck.

Harry couldn’t help the corners of his mouth turning up, as he strode along, however much he tried not to let them. “Well Malfoy – you are nothing if not direct!�

“Well, they annoy me,� returned Draco irritably. “Always dancing around each other, and sending each other moony glances. You would think that they would have done something about it by this time.� Harry refused to answer. He felt exactly the same himself, but couldn’t possibly confess that to Malfoy, of all people. He led Draco up to the Room of Requirements, which Draco had never seen properly, and found, of course that it was equipped with all the paraphernalia that they required. There were even a few large pensieves lying around, which Harry used to dump all his Order of the Phoenix memories in, just in case Draco managed to breach his defenses. Draco had not yet learned how to use one, and was rather jealous, but tried not to let Potter know.

After an hour’s work, both hated each other perhaps a little less than they had to start with and each began to feel a somewhat grudging respect for the other’s abilities. Draco had practiced a lot over the summer, and even though Harry had been studying with Dumbledore, Draco found he was able to block far more than Harry, which enabled him to forget the fact that he didn’t know how to use a pensieve, and feel smug again. Although Harry was definitely the stronger wizard, Draco was far more devious. Draco was beginning to suspect that Harry was one of the strongest wizards that he had ever met. He wouldn’t have been surprised to find that Harry was in Dumbledore’s class. It was therefore the sweeter to watch Harry struggle, and know that by calling on all the guile inherent in his makeup, he could beat Harry’s strength, and watch him sweat.

Parvati hadn’t really known what Occlumency entailed, and although she had been right, Harry was the strongest person in their year, and the best able to give Draco any practice, she had not known the intimacy it forces onto people who break through your defenses.

It had been with a sort of arrogance that both boys had started their session. Each of them had thought themselves the stronger. Now, however, called to compete, they found that they were both giving secrets away – perhaps more than they wanted to, but neither wanted to be the first to back down. Draco caught glimpses of the Dursleys and Privet Drive, which fascinated him. The famous Harry Potter living in that kind of chilling indifference? Ignored and not tolerated? Sleeping with spiders? Harry in his turn saw daily abuse, a mother who really did not care much, a commanding domineering father, snatches of pain concerning a platinum haired girl and a house that did not look like a home, but rather like a Dark Arts museum. However, the main objects they desired to keep secret remained a secret, so they counted the session successful. Harry did not see Draco’s memory of Parvati in tears after he had shouted at her for mentioning Harry’s name once too often; Draco did not see anything about Harry’s feelings for a certain red-headed Weasley, or his pain at Sirius’s death.

They left to go to their DADA class at least on speaking terms, although Draco was now so revoltingly smug it was strain on Harry’s good nature. The class was being taught this year by Castor Elgin, a reputed Auror as an enormous favor to Dumbledore, and also, Harry suspected so that he was on hand should anything happen. Castor, like Moody, had a false eye that spun around the room, and he was almost as scarred, although perhaps fifteen years younger, with a long head of rather greasy brown hair caught back in a careless ponytail.

Draco went to one side of the room and Harry to the other, but they both caught each other’s eye for a second when Ron and an ecstatic Hermione entered, hand in hand. Draco was forced to admit (to himself, even Occlumency wouldn’t force it from him) that the Mudblood wasn’t that bad looking. She was certainly glowing. It amazed him that holding hands with the ugly indigent Weasel could light her up like that. It only seemed to have made Ron’s ears glow, and his freckles stand out more. Draco had pretty much thought he looked like a moronic sheep before; now he looked even more like a moronic sheep. Harry was grinning all over his face. Draco pulled his books out of his bags, with a disgruntled expression, and his eyebrows in the air. He had meant to torment Ron, and stop Hermione talking in one swift move. He had certainly not meant to be a catalyst to unite them. ‘Just call me ‘Lonely Hearts Draco’’, he murmured, completely disgusted with everybody, but mostly Ron and Hermione.

Professor Elgin was in a very odd mood. He was not focused on the lesson at all, and was very jumpy. He forgot he had already given them homework, and gave them more twice, but considering his odd mood, nobody dared object. In fact, by the time he had swirled around to glare at his foe finder about fifteen times, and dived for his wand a couple of times, the class were as jumpy as he was. Just before the end of the lesson, an owl arrived at his desk with an urgent message, which he grabbed instantly. He read it and stood up. With a minimum of fuss, he told everybody that Quidditch practices had been cancelled, and that everyone was to meet in the Great Hall without fail as soon as possible. There was to be a speech before dinner. He gave out such a sense of foreboding nobody even thought to moan about the cancelled Quidditch. Elgin left with his magical eye rolling even more eccentrically than before, and the class dismissed, buzzing like bees.

*****************************

Parvati was waiting for Draco outside in the hall, looking exactly the way he had always imagined her looking, although he noticed her eyes were still red. She launched herself at him, and kissed him passionately, obviously having decided to forgive him for making her cry earlier. Draco was already starting to get used to Parvati’s exhibitionism, and had already looked around to make sure there were no stray teachers or prefects to see, and so enjoyed the kiss enormously. When he looked up to see a group of fourth years practically slavering, he positively smirked, wrapping his arm around her possessively. He had tended to miss the limelight a bit.

Parvati was already talking nineteen to the dozen, and Draco lent half an ear, while wondering what the meeting was about. Considering the rumors flying around, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was to do with Snape. He hoped it wasn’t worse. Parvati was talking about Ron and Hermione of course. The Potions master missing, war imminent and Parvati was concerned with Ron and Hermione. Draco couldn’t resist. “Well, I thought I should do something about it, so I fixed them up,� he said off-handedly. He said it specifically to make her squeak, and she didn’t disappoint him. He grinned down at her, an expression he kept just for her, and came clean. “Actually, I was just being horrible, but it worked. I would have given them a hard time before now if I had known it would get you all worked up!� He twisted his hand in her hair, enjoying the feel as it flowed through his fingers.

After twittering a while about Ron and Hermione, Parvati interrupted his thoughts once more to ask how his Occlumency session with Harry had gone, and he looked down at her. “Better than I thought. He is sharper, and far stronger than I gave him credit for. Next time I hex him, I must take care to do it from behind. Good call on your part, Dear Heart. He was an excellent protagonist.� He smiled at Parvati’s fluttering indignation that he would think of hexing anybody from behind. He was a bloody Slytherin – what did she expect?

A little way in front of them, Ron, rather clumsily, put his arm around Hermione, grinning like a house-elf on butterbeer. Draco rolled his eyes. “That Weasel is a little less than suave. I wonder what the, er, um..� he trailed off as he felt Parvati begin to bristle. “I mean, I wonder what Granger sees in him?�

Parvati gave him a speaking look, and he shrugged elegantly. “Hermione,� Parvati informed him primly, “isn’t as flighty as I am. I go for the eye candy, and she goes for solid worth!� But calling Ron “solid worth� did for her, and she collapsed in giggles.


Draco was just grinning reluctantly at her when they reached the Great Hall. The ceiling was foggy. Mist swirled in gray eddies around the candles, which seemed gloomy and dim as a result. As they watched, the Bloody Baron appeared, looking completely at home. It was not going to be a cheerful meal. Even the other ghosts seemed to feel it, and huddled around the tables. It made Nearly Headless Nick’s head wobble disconcertingly on his neck. Draco left Parvati to go to the Slytherin table, which was faintly visible and already crowded. People were arriving in droves, all talking excitedly. The noise would have been terrible, but the mist seemed to envelop it, so that it was dispersed through the fog, and sounded like a deathday celebration in a vault.

Parvati sat down at the Gryffindor table, and was joined by Neville and Ginny, who were both still speaking to her. Shamus and Lavender, who were not, sat further down, but Harry, Hermione and Ron sat down opposite when they entered. Parvati hoped fervently that Draco would not take it amiss that Harry was still speaking to her. He had been a bit manic about her and Harry, and there was nothing for him to worry about. Ron looked as if his feet weren’t touching the ground, and Hermione was shining. Ginny, who had not seen them both since lunch, squealed. ‘You two are together! When did this happen?�

Dean commented “About time too!�

“Everyone keeps saying that!� Ron exclaimed, “I had no idea Hermione was interested – she never gave me any sign!� He reached over for the rolls that were already on the table, and took a few.

A momentary stunned silence greeted his masterly mis-statement, and then the table exploded with congratulations. They hardly had time to talk however, before Dumbledore clapped for silence. The hall fell silent in record time. Everyone was anxious to hear what the news was. They could tell it was not good from the gravity of Dumbledore’s expression.

“Greetings everyone,� Dumbledore began.

“I have to tell you that the war we have all been dreading has arrived. The Ministry of Magic was attacked just a half an hour ago. It is not yet ascertained how many survivors there are. Those of you who have family members at the ministry will be kept informed as soon as we have any further information�. (Here, Ron and Ginny went an ashy white color.)

“I have been asked to keep students at Hogwarts for the foreseeable future. It is one of the safest places, as you all know. We may also be accepting injured personnel in the infirmary. I would ask you to give Madam Pomfrey all the assistance she requires, and request that no noise be made in the west wing.

Necessarily your studies will have to be curtailed to some extent. My apologies. We will be running a skeleton staff, as many of the staff are reservist members of the Magical Peacekeeping Coalition, so please see the notice boards for rescheduled classes. I am requisitioning some of the N.E.W.T. pupils as assistant teachers to the lower levels. Their names have also been placed on the notice boards. I expect the lower forms to realize that this is a privilege and not to exploit the students’ lack of experience as teachers. All those whose names are on the notice boards, please see your Head of House for further instructions.

As some of you already seem to know, Professor Snape has been marked down as missing in action. After this announcement, we will have a three-minute silence, and wish him well, wherever he is. At the present time, however, Professor Sinistra has kindly agreed to act as Head of Slytherin.� As he spoke, the House flags lowered.

“Tomorrow morning, prior to his departure for a more active position in the military action that will be necessary, Professor Elgin is going to address the whole school in the Great Hall. He and the Prefects will also be practicing emergency drills and evacuation procedures with you. There is little anticipation that we will be evacuating Hogwarts, but should the procedures ever be needed I want you all ready. I require you all to give Professor Elgin and the prefects your fullest attention. Professor Elgin will see all the Prefects in the Room of Requirement at eight this evening. Please take your wands.

I request that nobody sends owls out tonight to ask questions – we will make sure that the appropriate messages coming in are quickly handed out, and any general information will be made public as soon as possible. We do not want to attract Muggle attention to ourselves, and we do not wish to overload the owl system. All your parents will be receiving a message from Hogwarts assuring them of your safety at this time.

Please let us observe some minutes of silence.�

The room was as still as if nobody was there. Even breathing was so quiet as to not be heard. Rain fell quietly through the mist and petered out before putting out the candles above the tables. Draco could see Pansy, whose father worked at the Ministry, rocking backwards and forwards quietly, head bowed. Even though her father was on Voldemort’s side, there would be no knowing who had been hit or hurt in the fighting. Ron sat in shock, Hermione’s hand on his, their heads together. Ginny had her head in her hands, and Draco saw Parvati and Neville both slip an arm around her from opposite sides.

Finally Dumbledore raised his head. “After our meal, I would like to see the following students. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Padma Patil and Draco Malfoy. Let us eat.�

The buzzing noise grew louder, and people started to cry, talk, eat or comfort. Draco sat frozen. He knew what Dumbledore hoped from him, and he was not sure he was ready. Yes, in his spare time he had been practicing hexes and jinxes and Occlumency, but he still had a lot to learn. He did not know if he was brave enough for this. So far he had failed any test of courage, he had ever had. His bravery had never been called into question, but he knew himself he had run from Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest, whereas Harry had stayed. He had slunk away from Hermione when she slapped him and he had never stood up for Lilah. He had never even stood up to his father for himself. Whining to get what you want does not count as standing up for something you believe in. Sweat ran between his shoulder blades, cold and fearful. Eventually he ate, but he could not have later told anybody what he ate.


Draco saw the others whose names had been called gather together, and he went over to join the group, as they started towards Dumbledore’s office. He looked over at Padma, who was obviously not going anywhere without Parvati, whose hand she was holding with a vice-like grip. He slipped his hand gratefully into Parvati’s as she held hers out to him. She felt his icy fingers, and closed her warm hand over them, concerned. She looked up, worried, but he could not meet her eyes.

They arrived at the entrance to Dumbledore’s office, a place that only Harry and Ron had seen, and Padma, who had been given the password, said “Sherbet Shenanigans.� They trooped into Dumbledore’s office and found him sitting at his desk, with chairs set out in front of him. They all took a seat, except Parvati, who stood behind Draco and Padma, feeling a little out of place. Firenze stood beside the desk, occasionally stamping a foot, or swishing a tail.

Dumbledore waited until they were seated, and then raised his head to look at them all. “For you five I have special tasks,� Dumbledore began. “First Padma. Come here please. Firenze tells me great things about you. He tells me that you have the gift of sight, and that you have the potential to be a true Seer. I want to know something about Professor Snape. If you can tell me anything, I will be grateful.�

Padma got up and went over to him. “I asked Parvati to come too,� she said, her voice nervous. “I hope you don’t mind.�

Dumbledore looked from Padma to Parvati, and shook his head, a gleam in his eye. “I am actually very glad to see Parvati.� He took Padma’s hands. “You are shaking! Don’t worry. There is no pressure. If you can’t see anything, we will at least have tried. I have a glove belonging to Professor Snape here. I want you to hold it, and tell me what you see.� He patted a seat next to him, in an almost avuncular fashion, and Padma sat down, looking a little reassured, but still frightened.

Dumbledore gave Padma the glove, and she sat breathing silent a moment, with her eyes closed. Then her eyes opened, seemed to become unfocused, and her voice, although it sounded like her speaking, sounded in a monotone. “He is in a chamber. Alive, but only just. He has been tortured. I can see the marks. There is bread near him and water, but he cannot reach it. He is tied. No wand.� her voice became more guttural “no wand and pain. Oh so much -!� She ended in a cry of pure agony. She was not faking, Draco saw. Firenze quickly put a hand on her shoulder. “Padma, you are not Snape. You observe him, you do not feel his pain.� Padma was shaking and pale, yet his touch seemed to calm her, though her eyes stayed unfocused.

Dumbledore leaned forward. “Padma. Can you see where he is?�

Padma continued in her own voice again, though it seemed disembodied from her. It sent shivers down Draco’s spine. “He is in what appears to be a prison room or dungeon. There is one small window, but it does not let in much light. There is a crest on the door, which is open. Two serpents entwined on a red shield. The door lets in some light. Snape is on straw, and he is – Oh! What have they done to him? One hand is chained in irons, with blood running down from his wrist. He can’t breathe properly, because the restraint is too high, so he is hanging from his arm. He is bruised and…� She twisted out of the scene, herself once more. Tears streamed from her eyes. “They are monsters! He can’t think. He is in pain, and he wanted the water, but it hurts him to move! He can’t move! He is hurt! He is in the House of Vandalls.� Her eyes were blind with tears, and for an instant all that could be heard was her sobs. Parvati ran to her sister, wrapping her arms around her. Padma made an effort to control herself, then buried her head in her sister’s shoulder.

Dumbledore looked grave, and Firenze held some sweet smelling herbs and cinnamon near Padma’s nose. She began to calm down, and look more like herself, but still clung to Parvati.

Dumbledore offered her some cinnamon sticks from his desk, which she crunched obediently. Once Padma was quieter, Dumbledore turned to Harry.

“Padma has told me all I need to know. Harry. I need you to start the DA again. Professor Elgin will have to leave Hogwarts immediately after the drills tomorrow. We knew this may happen, and did have a teacher ready to replace him, but unfortunately he was with the Ministry during the attack, and I fear he will be unable to join us. We had expected any attack to center on Hogwarts, or Azkaban. We foiled an attack earlier on in the week, on Professor Snape’s information, but Snape was overpowered before he could find out the details of this attack. I very much fear that it was the earlier information he gave us that led to his discovery.

You are the most skilled in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry, even among those who are a year above you. Professor Flitwick will be able to accommodate you with any charms you may need. I ask you to keep the upper students in training, and to teach the lower levels DADA classes. You will be very busy as I will have to leave it all to you. Professor McGonagall and I will be unavailable for the next week. You may choose an assistant, or many of them – perhaps members of the DA. If you want to appoint an administrative assistant to help you with scheduling, I hear great things of Hannah Abbot’s organizational skills. And Ginny Weasley, or Ernie Macmillan would make a fine assistant teacher and demonstrator.� Ron opened his mouth, obviously to offer to help, but shut it again without speaking. Harry was pale, but gave a nod.

Professor Dumbledore turned to Hermione.

“I will need you to work closely with Madam Pomfrey and to make potions from Professor Snape’s recipes for those injured in battle. Severus said you were his best pupil, and with him gone, we have nobody else who is good with potions. I am myself a terrible Potions Master. I burn almost everything. I owled St. Mungo’s and there are two Healers but no Potion Masters that can be spared us. You will have complete access to Professor Snape’s stores and supplies. Mr. Filch can help you with any reordering of ingredients you may need, although I ask you be careful with them – with the Ministry in disarray, it will not be easy to replenish the stock. You can use Professor Snape’s recipes. He has them all written down in this book.� He handed her a well-used black book. Hermione nodded, impressed by the gravity of the situation, nervous of the responsibility and incredulous to find that Snape had thought well of her after all. Ron gave her an encouraging grin, and looked very proud.

Dumbledore turned to Draco next, but Draco was ready for him, and spoke before Dumbledore could open his mouth, in a voice that was crisp and hard. “And you need me to get the information Professor Snape was to gather for you, and perhaps try to release Professor Snape?�

Dumbledore nodded slowly, his eyes on Draco’s face. Harry and Ron both looked shocked. It would be a shock to Harry, Draco thought cynically. He always assumed that if anybody were to play the hero’s part it would be him. Parvati gave a stifled cry. Draco could see her out of the corner of his eye, but he kept looking at Dumbledore, knowing his face was strained, but keeping his eyes steady. Now that he had to go through with it, it seemed he had found the courage from somewhere deep inside himself.

“My father was a Death Eater, and I was trained to be one. Voldemort will not find it surprising if I leave Hogwarts once the battle is joined, to fight with him. I was under house arrest in the summer, we have had increased security at Hogwarts and you have been watching me closely since the term started. It is conceivable that I have always supported him, but was unable to join him until now.� He was proud that his voice did not falter when he said ‘Voldemort’. If Harry could say it, so would he, cost him though it did. He was further buoyed by the fact that Ron winced.

Dumbledore nodded slowly. “It will take two weeks to train you and find a way for you to join him. We cannot take less time, and we cannot afford even that.�

Draco kept his eyes on Dumbledore’s face. “How do you know that I will do what you need to be done?� he drawled. “I am the son of a Death Eater, and I have supported him in all that I have said and done. I am not fully trained in Magical Ability. If I were to apply as an Auror, I would be turned down because of my past. Even if I were accepted, I would have to complete three years of intensive training before I was ready to face Death Eaters. Am I not more of a liability than an asset to you?�

Dumbledore returned his almost scornful gaze calmly. “You have a unique situation that we could easily exploit,� he said at last. “I would be willing to take a risk on your loyalty, for the gain it may bring if you succeed. I am not asking you to go. I will accept with gratitude if you offer. If you offer to go, I will not doubt you.�

Draco turned the words over in his mind. If he offered to go, he would be trusted to do what he had to, even though it would be difficult and dangerous. He would have support whenever possible, and a place to come back to. If he had become a Death Eater, he would have been frightened into doing whatever was needed, and punished severely if he failed, but he would still have been given difficult and dangerous tasks, and there would be nothing to come back to. Even those high in the Dark Lord’s esteem paid in fear and trembling. Praise from him was a double edged sword, that could turn and cut you. And if he worked for Dumbledore he would be a hero. After his months of obscurity and being shunned, he very much fancied being a hero.

Draco looked at Dumbledore another long minute and then smiled frankly, the first time anybody besides Parvati had seen the expression on his face. “Then I offer to go.�

Parvati spoke up from behind Padma. “I’m going with you.� Predictably, she was biting her lip. Draco looked over at her with a softer expression than anyone in the room could ever have remembered seeing on him before. It startled most of them. Draco shook his head at her. “You do not know what you are asking,� he told her. “You have no idea.�

Parvati looked back at him, her eyes steady, but addressed Dumbledore. “Headmaster, I know what I am doing as much as Draco knows. And I am terrified.� She looked at Dumbledore at last, and a certain understanding passed between her and the headmaster. Dumbledore sat back in his chair. Draco sat bolt upright, seeing that Dumbledore was about to agree for some reason and said again, sharply “No! Parvati, I am not taking you with me!� His eyes were fiercely bright again, but Parvati did not waste breath answering. She seemed to waver as she shrank. Hermione drew in a breath in surprise, and Ron and Harry stared. Even Draco, who knew she was an Animagus was taken aback as she turned black and grew feathers. In a second, a raven in her place gave a “Caw, caw!� and the bird flapped to sit on his shoulder. Dumbledore tapped his wand to her throat, and she croaked, “I will go as your pet. You can leave your owl here. There will be less danger for me than for you. And this way, there are two of us, if something should happen to one. Besides, if the war has started, it will come to us all, sooner or later. If I can do something useful, I may as well start now.�

“No!� Draco and Padma said, together, almost violently, but Dumbledore acted as if he hadn’t heard them. Parvati fluffed her feathers, and gave Draco’s ear an affectionate nip, which hurt.

Dumbledore turned to Ron. “I need a strategist. I will be working with Draco and Parvati almost continually for the next two weeks on Draco’s Occlumency and various spells that may serve them well. I need a plan devised whereby he can “escape� from us at Hogwarts, and find his way to Voldemort’s secure hold. I need you to organize an outpost and supplies they may need for the return journey, should they make it. I need you and McGonagall to work on this together. I also need you to collaborate with the Order to find out where the stronghold is, to arrange contact for Draco with somebody inside – perhaps Crabbe or Goyle, and to fill the Order in on anything we may need.�

He noticed Ron’s dropped jaw, and smiled wryly. “I know you have not shone greatly in your previous adventures,� he said. “You are not as strong a wizard as Harry. Nor have you the quick comprehension and photographic memory of Hermione. However, although you yourself underrate your skills, you managed to out-think McGonagall at wizard chess, thus proving yourself a greater strategic thinker than you might believe.� He was silent a moment and then said almost reprovingly, “Many people underestimate the power of strategic games. Your Quidditch plans also show promise.�

Ron sat straighter in his chair, and his expression was dumbfounded but resolute. He was an important member of the team who could be counted on. At that moment his vision from the Mirror of Errised vanished forever, to be replaced with something real, tangible, and more than he could have imagined. He felt he had been given his place in life. Hermione next to him, glowed, and, catching her eyes he felt, for the first time, that maybe he deserved that constant trust and pride she showed in him. She herself thought that he looked no longer a boy, but a man. He became resolved to shoulder his responsibilities for once.

As they left Dumbledore’s office, Firenze stood with him, watching them go. “They are but foals,� Firenze said heavily. “Padma suffered heavily today. She communicated with Professor Snape more fully than I thought she could.�

Dumbledore stood a while longer, and then sighed. “But they are the future. They have the right to defend their future. In times of war, there can be no children. They are young adults, and ready to play their part. I hope their parents see it that way.�

“And what of the Dark boy? Do you trust him then, so absolutely?�

Dumbledore sighed even more heavily. “It is difficult to say. Padma Patel thinks highly of him. So does Parvati, yet she does not trust him alone. I am glad she is going with him. With her to cling to, he will find it easier to remember whom he can be and what he has to lose. And you? What do you think?�

Firenze looked out of the windows. “The stars are hard to read….� he said. Dumbledore sighed. He too, had not been able to read the stars.

The next two weeks were frantically hardworking. Draco was very relieved at having no time to think, as when he thought of what lay ahead of him, he found he wanted to throw up. It seemed that cowardice was steeped so far into his character that the promise of a new life could not oust it. However, he was determined to show no sign of weakness in front of Parvati, and especially none in front of Dumbledore or his golden trio, and never thought that what he was doing, in spite of his fear, was brave.



Dumbledore was somewhat surprised and greatly relieved to find that Draco had a head start on Occlumency, but there was still a lot to learn. Parvati was thankful for her DA training with Harry, and envious of the speed at which Draco picked up the new spells. Learning new ones gave them both a competitive edge, which made them both quite enjoy the training. They trained in dodging (Draco was much better at this than Parvati, as his Seeker skills were still honed from practicing each morning.) Parvati, however, after practice, was not a clumsy bird, and managed to blend into shadows easily. Dumbledore himself did not think anybody would recognize her for what she really was, which reassured Draco to some extent.



As they trained, Draco gained a new respect for Parvati. He had always assumed from her feather-brained gossipy style, that she was low in the brains department, (he was a Slytherin after all, and did not know her powers as well as the Gryffindors) but she was quite quick to catch on, (perhaps not quite as fast as he was) knew far more jinxes than he did (from her training in the DA), could produce a brilliant Patronus (in the shape of a horse) and was not afraid to work hard. She even managed to keep her nails polished and shiny through their hectic schedule. He began to see that the public person was very different to the real Parvati. As she had told him, she was not an airhead. However, he was far from comfortable taking her with him. Parvati seemed made for the light, parties, picnics and fun, and he could not imagine her anywhere near a Death Eater. Added to this, he had been taught by his father to regard women as useless, but decorative objects whom one did not trust with anything difficult or dangerous. He had enough knowledge of Parvati now to know that she was a partner, and deserved to be treated as such, but his old-fashioned upbringing left him doubting that it was right to expose her to the dangers he knew would surround them. And he knew how impulsive she was.



When Parvati had gone to practice some flying, he tackled Dumbledore about it. Dumbledore, who was sitting in front of a fire, exhausted, rested his hands on his knees and looked into the flames.



“I can’t stop her going, if that is what she wishes to do,� he said. He looked up sideways at Draco. “Do you know why she is going?� He removed a box of lemon drops and offered it to Draco. Draco couldn’t believe that he was interested in sweets at a time like this, and waved it away impatiently. Dumbledore took one and sucked it with obvious enjoyment.



“Yes, I know that! She has some crazy idea that because she is my girlfriend, ‘love will conquer all’ or something. A kind of romantic holiday in the Death Eater’s camp. Actually she is so completely flamboyant that she may just give us away! She trusts any and everybody, no secret is safe with her - and you saw how Padma reacted to Snape! What will the Death Eaters think if my raven flops off my shoulder onto the floor in a faint every time they use the Cruciatus Curse on somebody?�



Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. “I believe you wrong her greatly. Parvati is afraid for you to go among the Death Eaters. I must admit that it has taken a weight off my mind to have her go with you.� He slipped a few of his memories off his wand and into the Pensieve next to him, in preparation for another Occlumency session. “All your life, you have been among Death Eaters. Even your closest companions at Hogwarts have been Death Eaters, or the sons of Death Eaters. We have heard your comments on Muggle-born wizards,� he looked hard at Draco over the tops of his spectacles, as Draco’s face flushed fire. “Oh yes; not much escapes me. You have agreed with a lot of what Voldemort stands for. You were backing the Heir of Slytherin, if I remember rightly. If you go back among those people, who have had such a strong hold over you all your life, you may go back to being one of them. Unhappiness, misuse of power and misery can be addictive, even compulsive. That is why Parvati goes with you. She is your link to the outside world, and the reminder that there is another life than the one you go to. Also, she is stronger than she seems or you may think. Most people are,� he added ruminatively, taking another lemon drop. “Are you sure you won’t try one? Muggle sweets you know, they are very good.�



Draco narrowed his eyes. During his teaching sessions with Dumbledore he had acquired a lot more respect for the Headmaster, but he was hard put to it to stop the thought ‘Silly old bat’ running through his head. He found Dumbledore’s reasoning offensive, and his passion for sweets childish.



“I am quite competent to go myself and do what I have to,� he said sulkily, ignoring the lemon drop box. “I chose which side I believe now to be right. I may be of the opinion that a pure bloodline is the best, but I do believe in freedom of choice. I am forced to admit too, although I do not like her, that Granger does not show any sign of depleted powers. And Potter, who had a Muggle born mother has a truly formidable strength. I am not fond of Dementors, and hardly want them given the run of the wizarding world, as would the Dark Lord. I think that I have chosen wisely, and will not easily change my decision!�



Dumbledore shook his head. “Parvati is the wiser. Voldemort is stronger than you imagine. You found it hard enough to resist your father. Indeed, it is only recently – and in his absence, may I add - that you have done so. It is harder to fight off your upbringing than you realize, here at Hogwarts. Chains from the past can be thrown off, but it will take tremendous willpower. You will have some bad moments, not just when you have to deal with what life brings you there, but also when you must battle yourself. And it is good to have a friend near. Parvati has made her choice. Do you think that I could talk her out of it even if I wanted to?� He added thoughtfully, “Remember too, that she will go as a raven, and thus unable to speak!� his eyes twinkled slightly. “So you worry needlessly about her impetuosity, because I agree, that is the one thing that I think could be a problem, although emotionally I believe her to be strong. Remember too, Padma was operating under curious circumstances. She was actually able to feel Snape’s pain. Firenze tells me that Parvati is competent in that area, but no more, so she will not experience any horrors in the same way.�



They had finished their talk just in time, as Parvati came bounding in breathless and windblown from her time outside. She had persuaded Harry to take a break from teaching and practice with her, pretending she was the Snitch, so it had been an intense session. She collapsed into a chair beside Draco, still a little breathless, and looked over at him laughingly, “Well, I doubt any curse could catch me mid-flight now! Harry gave me a really good workout.� Draco could not help stiffening here, and Parvati glanced over at him nervously. “I wish I could tell Cho that I was an Animagus, as it seems hard to have to ask Harry for help when he is already doing so much?� She looked over at Dumbledore, but he shook his head at her, so she sighed, and shrugged apologetically to Draco. “Well, I am off for a very quick shower, and then I guess we can get back to work!� Dumbledore noticed the exchange, and for a moment looked grave, but when Parvati looked over, he seemed tranquil, and offered a lemon drop from a rather nice jeweled box. She took one. “Yum! These are my favourites! Thanks!�



She looked over at Draco again, and he felt that odd quiver in his stomach that happened whenever his eyes met hers. He could see she felt the same way. There was a ‘no kissing’ rule at Hogwarts, and they were feeling the strain of always being with a teacher. Parvati got up and went out, leaving the room feeling drained of energy. Draco did not realize he was staring after her. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows thoughtfully.



“Shall we continue?�



********************



Two evenings later, the day before they were to depart, Dumbledore stopped training early. “I think we have done enough. You can get some rest, and relax. I don’t think I could teach you anything more that you would remember. I suggest you go and catch a meal with your classmates, and then maybe take a walk by the lake. I appreciate all the time and energy you have given to your training. I know it has been difficult for both of you. Tomorrow we will start implementing your arrival at the Death Eaters’ Camp.� He yawned. “I myself have got to go and have something to eat besides lemon drops. I will see you tomorrow morning, early as planned.�



Almost before he had left the room, Draco was striding over to Parvati, who met him halfway, with open arms and brilliant eyes. He pulled her into his arms, and stood looking down at her with a queer smile on his lips. “I can’t believe how much I have been wanting to do this!� he said, before kissing her gently at first, and then as she responded so generously, with more passion. When he pulled away, her eyes were shut, and her arms round his neck, her hands in his hair. He undid the plait that she had been wearing again, and loosened her hair, reveling in the feel of it running silkily through his fingers. He was just about to kiss her again, when Hermione entered. Parvati noticed the change in Draco immediately. His muscles tensed, his lip curled, and the sneer, which had been absent from his face for a while, returned.



“Well Granger, what is it?� he said impatiently.



In answer, Hermione tossed him two sets of black robes that she had carried in over one arm, and a phial of blue liquid to Parvati. Draco only just caught the robes, having to unwind himself from Parvati first.



“See how you like those. They are reversible.� She stood waiting, and Draco handed a robe to Parvati. They looked like hooded black robes to him. He bet that the Mudblood had waited until the opportune moment to interrupt him, but as his lip started to turn into a snarl, Parvati, who, being more at home with Muggle terminology had looked inside, gave a gasp. “Why Hermione! These are great! Look Draco!� She turned her robe inside out, and it became an invisibility cloak. Draco was forced to swallow the rather clever snide remark he was about to make. “Great,� he said unenthusiastically instead. Hermione looked at him as if he were a bubotuber spouting pus. Parvati was whirling around the room with only her head and hands showing.



“Hermione!� she sang, “Thank you for my anti-screening potion! And the cloak! I have always wanted one of these! Thank you! How did you get them?�



Hermione blushed. “I got some of the house-elves to spin the fibers that we made in Potions class the other day into some Demiguise wool. I found some while I was sorting out Snape’s office. He had a barrel full from of our stuff from all the classes he has done, and the Demiguise wool came from Dumbledore. Then one of them sewed these cloaks together for you.� Parvati’s eyes rounded, but she held her tongue. Draco was not so kind.



“Well really Granger!� he drawled, “Imposing on the house-elves! Isn’t this a bit against your ethics?�



Hermione put her nose in the air, and snapped. “Actually, I offered them a wage�



“And they accepted?� Both Draco and Parvati were incredulous. Hermione developed two pinkish patches on her cheeks. “No, they didn’t, as a matter of fact. But I did offer, and they were able to refuse. If you don’t offer a salary, they have no choice at all. Besides, I can’t sew, and in these times, it just seemed as though you should have them. In the long run, it will probably benefit the house elves too.�



Parvati knew the effort this would have cost Hermione, and she whirled over to give her a hug – which surprised Hermione more than she could say, but also pleased her. Draco, however, saw this as more of an opportunity than otherwise.



“I wouldn’t have thought of your compromising your integrity for my sake,� he simpered, swirling the cloak, black side up onto his shoulders, and mincing across the room to a large mirror that hung on the wall. “Granger, I am flattered.�



“I am not doing anything for your sake!� Hermione flashed. “Once I mentioned that it would be possible to make them, Ron asked me to do it, if you must know!�



Draco opened his mouth, smirking, but Parvati was quicker. “Thank you Hermione. Draco and I are very grateful. He just has an odd way of expressing it.� She stepped on Draco’s foot hard, not bothering to hide it from Hermione.



“Thanks Parvati – if you keep him in line, it will prevent me from hexing him into the middle of next week.� She looked at Draco with dislike. “I am trying to restrain myself, as Dumbledore assures me we can trust you. Personally I don’t.�



Draco eyes flashed, and he stepped forward, but Parvati yelled “Expelliarmus!� and Hermione’s wand, which she had picked up, left her hand. Parvati stepped between Draco and Hermione, handing back Hermione’s wand to her. She turned on Draco, irate. “Not that I wanted you both to start a duel, but what were you thinking? Hermione could have hexed you no problem – you didn’t even get to your wand! What was all that training for? I am sure the Death Eaters will be quicker.�



Draco smirked at her. “I don’t have to do everything myself,� he pointed out. “I knew Hermione wouldn’t regard you as a threat, and I knew you would be guarding my back – or what was the point of your training? I fully expected you to disarm her for me.� Seeing that he had taken her properly aback, and that she was lost for words, Draco turned to Hermione with finality.



“Thanks for the cloaks, goodbye.� He turned his back and pulled Parvati towards him, but the door opened again. Draco scowled, seeing Ron. “Great. I am finally living in a farce. If somebody could skip to the end so that I can see if the hero gets the girl, I will be most gratified. You bozos are really de trop, so could you de part?�



Ron was slightly confused by this attack before he had fully entered the room, but Hermione suppressed what Parvati suspected was a grin. Ron, however, was looking grim. He strode up to Draco, in a way that had the Slytherin tensing, and backing away from Parvati. If Ron were going to hit him, he would prefer her not to be in the middle. Not that he wanted Ron to hit him as Ron was now as powerful and muscular as a young bull.



Ron stopped just in front of Draco, and waved a photo in front of him. “Just how do you explain this?� he asked in a hard tone. Draco, almost cross-eyed, with his head craned back, tried to see the picture Ron had thrust in front of him with no success.



“Give me that,� he said irritably, and grabbed the photo. The next moment, his face paled, and Parvati thought for a moment that he was going to throw up. Ron stood with his arms folded in an accusatory fashion.



“Ron, what is it?� Hermione asked.



Ron’s expression was inscrutable. “Ask him.�



Draco walked over to one of the armchairs and sat down. Parvati went to sit on the arm of the chair, and he held the photo out for her to see. The photo showed a girl with her arm on the neck of a young dragon. She was laughing and waving, her platinum hair swinging dead straight behind her, and her silver eyes shining with happiness. The likeness was undeniable.



Draco looked over at Ron. He kept his voice steady as he asked, “Where did you get this?�



Ron still looked stern. “What is a girl the spit of you doing with the Aurors spying upon You-Know-Who’s stronghold? She passed basic Auror training with a false identity, and is posted right outside where you are going to be. Coincidence Malfoy? And where is she? We have been unable to locate her since the Sub-Ministry ran the match on your features.�



Draco looked up, swallowing, still pale. “You mean you can’t find her?�



Ron pointed his wand at Draco. “Don’t move. I think I ask the questions.� He held out his hand, but Draco kept the photo.



“She is Lilah,� he said quietly, but with an edge of steel. “And you need to find her. If she is missing from her post, she is in danger. She would not be a spy, if that is what you are thinking.�



“Don’t give me that, Malfoy,� Ron said coldly. “You offered to go over to You-Know–Who, remember? I wondered why at the time. Someone who would feed you information from our side? Double espionage?�



Draco leaned his head back against the chair, and took Parvati’s hand. “Oh, for love of Wizarding Weasels put the wand away you poverty stricken pureblood. You’re pissing me off. Lilah was my – my – well, I’m not sure what she was. Perhaps a half-sister? She lived with us. When she was sixteen, my father threw her out. She came back from school saying she had a Mudblood boyfriend. She would have changed her name when she was thrown out. If my father had found she was living as a Malfoy, he would have hunted her down. He thought she was a disgrace to our ancient and illustrious name. I haven’t seen her since she left. Get in touch with Peter Drake – he is an Auror at the Malfoy Mansion. He can give you any more details. Good enough, or do you want to do some Legilimency on me?�



Ron stood with his mouth open, and his ears turning redder. Hermione walked over to look at the photo. She gasped at the likeness, and turned to Ron. “It should be easy enough to check his story,� she said. “McGonagall. Past registers. She would have gone to Hogwarts.�



Ron glared at Draco. “Actually, I have already done so. She does not remember a Lilah Malfoy.�



Draco looked annoyed. “She went to Durmstrang, which you would have known if you had been thinking. My mother didn’t like her that much, so they sent her to the furthest school they could. I was her only child, so I got sent nearer home.�



Ron said fiercely, “I will need to check that story Malfoy. How come you didn’t tell us that you had a half-sister working as an Auror?�



Draco shut his eyes. Parvati sat still on the arm of his chair, with her free hand on top of his head. He looked fine, relaxed, bored even, but he was holding her hand so tightly it hurt, and she knew every muscle was tensed. “If the space you have between your ears was filled with anything Weasley, you would have heard me say that my father threw her out of the family. Technically she is not my sister any more if she even was in the first place. Besides,� he drawled. “She was dating a Mudblood.� He said the word as if it were disgusting, and looked over at Hermione, deliberately letting her see his derision, his lip curling with distaste.



She never got further than, “Save your breath, Mal…� before Ron made an explosive sound, his face redder than ever, and launched himself at the chair Draco was sitting in. Hermione threw herself at Ron, with the intention of holding him back, and Parvati jumped up off the arm of the chair in alarm. Hermione tripped in her haste, and grabbed hold of Ron, who caught the back of the armchair to stop himself from falling. Because Parvati was no longer sitting on the arm, the chair, with Draco in it, fell backwards, as the door opened for a third time. There was a second’s confusion, then five people shouted “Expelliarmus!� in unison, and five wands shot up into the air and landed clattering on the floor.



Harry and Parvati looked down. Hermione had fallen with Ron, and was on the top of the heap. Parvati helped her up, and she adjusted her robes, wincing a little at her ankle, which she had obviously twisted. Ron had a bleeding nose, where it had hit the back of the chair and Draco, at the bottom of the pile had a black eye – a result of its meeting Hermione’s elbow rather hard. He looked a lot worse than he actually was, as in that short time Ron’s nose had bled copiously over his robes too. He looked terribly undignified, scrambling out of the wreckage of the chair. Immediately Harry leapt from the door to jump between Draco and Ron, as they were both by now enraged.



Draco had a vein throbbing in his temple, and his eyes shot molten silver fire. He looked murderous. Ron was red, his mouth a thin line and his eyes thunderously dark. His hair looked more rumpled than ever, and his fists were clenched. He didn’t look any less dangerous. Although Draco was obviously regretting Harry’s appearance, Parvati was glad he was there. Draco was not short, but next to Ron, he almost appeared delicate. Harry, being by far the shortest, looked ridiculous holding the two apart. She ran to help Harry, catching hold of Draco’s arm. He shook her off as if she were a fly, and deliberately relaxing his muscles, contemptuously made as if to turn away. He knew the honourable Gryffindors would think he had given up. As Harry relaxed, (though still holding Ron back with one hand on his chest) and Ron turned to glare at Harry, Draco whirled and hit Ron’s jaw, as hard as he could, over Harry’s head. It nearly broke his hand. Ron seemed to have a jaw of steel.



Ron gave a bellow like an enraged bull that has just entered the arena, and charged, sending his wand skidding across the floor as he kicked it accidentally. Harry was knocked flying, his glasses hitting the wall behind him, and Draco feinted cleverly, turned and ducked, obviously under the impression that Ron would go barreling into the wall. Not for the first time, he had underestimated Ron’s intelligence and speed. Had Harry and Parvati and Hermione not all grabbed a part of Ron’s anatomy, Draco may have been beaten to a pulp. Draco looked at Ron, held by the three, and smirked. It was an insulting enough smirk that Ron dragged them all a couple of feet, snorting through his nose almost like a bull again, his red hair looking almost as bad as Harry’s, before Harry, who may have been smaller, but who was wiry and very tough, managed to dig his heels in. Parvati, who had caught hold of one of Ron’s legs and was lying full length on the carpet stretched out behind him, held on for dear life and hoped Draco wouldn’t do anything else stupid. Hermione clung onto one of Ron’s arms with both hands. She looked over at Draco angrily. “If you insist on being immature, I am going to let Ron go – in fact, I will help him.�



Draco shrugged, but realized that he was outnumbered. He had got in a good blow too, that could not now be returned. He strolled by Ron with a viscous sneer to pick up the fallen chair. After a second, Parvati felt the tension go out of Ron’s leg. She let go and scrambled to her feet. Harry went over to the wall to find his glasses, which were lying smashed against the wall. Seeing them, Parvati lost her temper. She walked over to Draco, her eyes sparking dangerously, and faced right up to him, completely ignoring his own scowl. “I know you are furious,� she hissed “but if you try to pick a fight every time you get upset, so help me, I am going to crap down your shoulder every chance I get as a raven!�



Draco, who had been fuming just a second before, let out a shout of laughter so loud everyone turned to stare. She did it, every time. He could be totally furious, and she would make him laugh. He held her face between his two hands and kissed her hard on the mouth. “You try that, and I’ll put you in a pie,� he told her. He walked over to Ron quickly before the mood left him, and stuck out his hand. “OK. I am sorry I said Mudblood,� he offered. “And thanks for the invisibility cloaks.� Ron took his hand in a sort of daze, not able to believe the sudden transformation. Malfoy’s face was open and almost friendly. He was actually smiling! He actually shook hands and nothing terrible happened. The way Draco was looking at him however, made Ron aware that his mouth was hanging open. He shut it hastily and looked over at Hermione. She had noted the way Draco had looked at Parvati, and was half smiling. She shook her head at Ron.



“You can keep the photo if you want,� Ron offered, generous now. “We have more. And we will let you know somehow, if we find her.�



Draco struggled with himself, but the amusement from Parvati’s last remark had already fled. Saying thanks twice in a row, after having just been granted a favor was more than he could manage. Besides, it seemed he had given himself away where Lilah was concerned, which he had not meant to do. It was nobody’s business but his. Instead he said, his face back to its normal sneer “I hope you find her before I do. If she was with the Aurors then there is a chance the Death Eaters may have her now. And if you do find her – don’t mention my name. You may just never see her again. I don’t think she is too fond of the Malfoy family.�



He looked around at everybody. “Now, unless there was something pressing, I really find the sheer number of your company overwhelming. I was planning a romantic moment for two and we nearly have a Quidditch team here. Parvati and I will say goodbye before the spectators arrive in droves.� He grabbed up the cloaks that they had just been given, retrieved their wands, and took Parvati’s arm, pulling her outside with him, and shutting the other three firmly inside.



He managed three steps down the corridor but no further, as Parvati was dragging her heels, which made it very difficult. When he turned to look at her, he saw her eyes blazing. “Draco Malfoy! I am NOT a possession! I can walk by myself.� She saw his expression change quickly to savage fury.



“You would prefer to stay with the marvelous Harry Potter, I am sure!� he flashed, snarling.



Parvati flinched, but for once she understood Draco’s anger as insecurity, in the disconcerting way she had of sometimes reading his mind. She did not know what prompted his jealousy of Harry, and dimly understood it was nothing to do with her, although it upset her. She moved forward, braving his anger and using her eyes with their long lashes to her advantage. “Darling, since you are obviously wondering, I found everyone’s presence – including Harry’s - as irritating as you could have done, but I can be polite about it. Now let me say that you are going the wrong way. I know a room where we can be quite uninterrupted.�



Draco fell for the eyes immediately, and looked down at her with appreciation. Most girls he knew would have been carrying on about Lilah, and saying he should have told them, or crying, as she had earlier when he had blown up about Harry, but Parvati didn’t sound wounded, she sounded, well, amorous. And if she really did know of a room where they could be uninterrupted-! He could hope, anyway.



“Sounds better than my plan. I was going to make use of these invisibility cloaks, but lead on.�



Parvati shot him a sideways look. “Actually I think I would prefer to see where your hands are,� she said archly. They have a fairly wandering tendency…shall we say.�



Now completely at ease again, Draco wondered if he could possibly be any more attracted to her than he already was. He was already feeling uncomfortably infatuated. He hoped it didn’t show on his face.

It was still nighttime when Draco and Parvati reached out for the Portkey that would take them to within five miles of Voldemort’s stronghold, where Ron had established the outpost. Draco held a letter from Goyle that had come in by owl a couple of nights before. Goyle was going to meet him at a rendezvous, and take him to Voldemort himself, should he manage to “escape� Hogwarts. To ensure that he would “escape� Ron had given up the entrance to the Shrieking Shack.

Dumbledore would fill it in, once it was found out that Draco had escaped that way. If anyone tried to enter that particular tunnel before the carefully planned ‘finding’ of the escape route by the Ministry, who would be called in to investigate, they would have the Whomping Willow to deal with.

Having supposedly used her as a victim of the polyjuice potion, Draco had escaped in Parvati's guise to the Shrieking Shack, where he was last seen going towards the Forbidden Forest. Parvati had played her part well, making sure two people had slight glimpses of her before she got to the forest. When she had reached the forest, she had transformed into a blackbird, which headed straight for the castle and Dumbledore’s office, where Draco was waiting in hiding.

The story would be put about that Parvati had been badly hurt, and was in the Infirmary where Padma would be seen from time to time visiting her sister. Madam Pomfrey would keep out all other callers. In the event that it would be absolutely necessary for Parvati to be seen, Padma could be heavily bandaged, and would look like Parvati.

Draco would be unaccompanied apart from his raven, and nobody would suspect the raven that traveled with him. The plan was almost foolproof – at least nobody had so far found any flaws, and it was the one they were using. Draco, who had suspected Dumbledore of giving Ron a role in which he was the least likely to mess up, started to rethink. Maybe Ron was good at something after all.

************************

Now, ignoring Dumbledore, Ron, Hermione and Harry, who were all present, Parvati leaned up and gave Draco a hard kiss on the mouth, before dwindling to a raven, and flapping up to sit on his shoulder. Draco gave a deep breath, looked at Dumbledore, and took hold of the key.

He stepped out into a clearing in a forest beside a dilapidated wooden hut, which he knew would turn into a nice sized house when they entered. He then looked again at his instructions, and began to walk the five miles to a deeper, darker part of the forest that was eerily silent. He stood waiting, and looking around, his hand on his wand in case of trouble. Parvati moved her feet on his shoulder, and he absently stroked her breast with one hand, ruffling the feathers. Funny – they were hardly ever left on their own for two seconds, and now that they were, and he could get his hands on her breasts, she was a raven, and it didn’t really do anything for him. He grinned to himself in the darkness, glad she couldn’t see what he was thinking.

It was about fifteen minutes before Goyle arrived. Draco was conscious of Parvati, yet not wanting to speak to her in case they were being watched. Parvati obviously felt the same, as she remained quiet. After a while however, she gave a caw, and Draco looked around to see Goyle shouldering his way through the forest. He strode over to meet him. “Am I glad to see you!� Goyle’s rather dim face lit up with a smile. “We didn’t think you would be able to get away! I am supposed to check to see what you have brought with you.�

Draco raised his eyebrows. “Do you see anything with me apart from my raven?� Goyle looked a bit sulky.

“No, I don’t,�

“Well then, shall we depart?� Draco asked impatiently.

Goyle mumbled something. “Well, speak up man!� cried Draco. “What is it?�

“I am supposed to search you,� returned Goyle sullenly.

Draco contained himself. He had to get Goyle back to being his sidekick. Rolling his eyes upwards, he held up his arms, and turned around slowly. “Fine. Do you want my wand as well?� The sarcasm was heavy, and Goyle flinched.

“No, no need. How come you have a raven?�

Draco rolled his eyes again, apparently at Goyle’s stupidity, and said, “Well, you can’t have forgotten already! I always wanted a raven. They go better with black than an owl does. Better for the image,� and then, because he couldn’t resist, “Pulls the birds.� Parvati’s claws dug into him extra hard at this, but she refrained from squawking.

Goyle frowned a little in concentration, and then smiled. “Sure, I remember you wanted a black bird.�

‘Idiot,’ thought Draco, ‘he would remember anything I told him to. I am so glad he hasn’t changed!’ He followed Goyle through the forest. The intense cold told him that there were Dementors around. He was glad to have studied Occlumency, which he used now to shut off his mind. He had teased Potter about the Dementors, but when he had first seen the Dementor on the train, he had been so scared he almost fainted himself. Memories of Lilah being forced out of the house had dominated his mind, and memories of beatings, and seeing others beaten – Dobby the house-elf for one. As he had grown older, he had not been so intimidated, and had taken it as a matter of course, but as a small child he was horror-stricken. And of course the Dementors fed on that. Luckily Crabbe and Goyle had believed him quite happily when he told them on the train that he was kidding around for a laugh, and hadn’t been scared at all.

“So how is it working for the Dark Lord?� he asked Goyle, curiously. Goyle shrugged, but a look of fear came over his face.

“The Dark Lord finds a lot for us to do,� he answered. “And there is no television, and only three meals a day.� Draco waited, but there was no more to come. ‘Well,� he thought to himself “I see Goyle is as chatty as ever.’ He took a huge slab of chocolate out of his pocket, and handed it over silently. Goyle engulfed it joyfully in one bite, throwing the wrappers into the trees without even a thought to banishing them.

He led Draco down an almost black path, by the light of his wand. Icy water dripped from the bare trees, and the tree trunks looked black and slimy in the wavering light. Draco wrapped his robes around him more firmly and strode after Goyle. After a while, he noticed that other paths were connecting to this one, although they were shadowy, and that the path along which they were walking was becoming wider. So far he thought he could find his way back. He was keeping a sharp look out for landmarks, just in case it became necessary.

Parvati balanced on his shoulder, very subdued. He had not heard a peep out of her. Now dim lanterns hung from the trees, having a very chilling effect. Draco could make out a building in the darkness now, as it was getting lighter all the time, and soon they were at the barred door. It was of large, thick wooden planks, dark with age, and bound with thick iron. The red shield with the snakes that Padma had seen was emblazoned across the large lock. There were so many wards around it that the place positively vibrated. Goyle stood in a spot in front of the door, pulling Draco to stand with him. There was a click, and the square was flooded with very bright light. Draco and Parvati, who were not expecting it, squinted into the light, temporarily blinded, and then the gate swung open.

Inside was a good deal more modern. Lights ran along the whole length of the corridor, and in the first room, men in black robes sat around a long table, eating what seemed to be some kind of stew. It became apparent to him that this was some sort of guardhouse. Shabby looking house elves ran around with plates and were kicked or ignored as needed. Woebegone owls hunched dismally in a common area in the draught caused by the open door. He only caught a glimpse however, as Goyle marched past. Goyle was looking less worried now, and more important. They strode through double doors into a massive hall, which was nothing like Draco could have imagined as having anything to do with Voldemort. It looked a little like a conferencing center. There was a bright scarlet carpet on the floor, and the walls, which were paneled half way up, were a garish yellow wood and bright white. The ceiling and door trims were glaring white. There were many fluorescent lights and the heating was set very high. The carpet had a very thick pile, and the wood a very matched shiny varnish, but the general effect was cheap and shoddy and brash. Black figures stood uncomfortably here and there in the hall in groups, murmuring to each other quietly, but they turned at Goyle’s entrance. At the end of the hall was a raised dais, and on that was a chair with a figure that made the hair on Draco’s neck stand on end. As he noticed, Parvati took off in flight. Draco had one awful moment where he thought she had lost her nerve, and felt wildly that he might, and then he saw that she was flying to the side of the room, where there was a cluster of stands, some empty, and others with owls sitting on them. This was obviously where the messengers sat. He would have looked odd taking her up with him. He was terrified – so terrified he thought for another moment that he may faint or throw up. However it would be just as dangerous now to go back as to go forward. He stiffened his spine, calmed his breathing, and followed Goyle, who had slowed down a little, and was cringing and shuffling his feet.

Voldemort watched Draco’s entrance with narrowed eyes. He sensed a slight feeling of uncertainty, but that was common among the Death Eaters. They were used to the dark, and so Voldemort amused himself by lighting the place with very bright light. None of them felt that they could move without him seeing them. To his own slit-like hooded eyes, it was no hardship, but he noticed a few people, as Draco Malfoy was now, squinting against the glare reflected from the highly varnished walls and white ceiling. The boy walked down to him. Voldemort was pleased. He knew Lucius of old, and knew that he had at last served him well enough to go to Azkaban, although his earlier conduct, pretending that he had been under the Imperious Curse left a lot to be desired. However, he had heard of Draco’s attempts to break out of Hogwarts under Dumbledore’s nose, and that fact that he had managed to do it was in his advantage. Voldemort had checked the story very thoroughly, and tried the entrance to Hogwarts almost immediately, only to find that the Ministry had been there before him. Perhaps the young Malfoy would have other ideas. Voldemort was ready to favour him. He needed more wizards that had some intelligence. He thought of Snape, and ground his teeth. It had been humiliating to find that someone in his own employ had dared betray him, and been exposed in front of his own circle of most trusted Death Eaters. He hoped he was making enough of an example of him. Killing him outright would have been a good lesson: but too short. Some people had brief memories. Besides, it was quite scientific trying to keep the man at the delicate balance where he would still retain enough feeling and emotion to beg, and plead (which was really disconcerting to some of his followers) and yet inflict as much pain and misery as possible. He had an unpleasant smile on his lips as Goyle conducted Draco to his presence.

Goyle bent lower and lower as he approached, and flinched as Voldemort held up a long fingered, deathly white hand, stopping immediately. Draco walked on, coming to stop just before Voldemort, and then, remembering his father’s training, sank into a low bow, with head bent, until Voldemort put his wand under his chin, and raised him. Draco had to call on all his Occlumency training to repress a shudder at the appearance of the man in front of him. Voldemort looked at his face, not surprised when Draco dropped his eyes. He was used to people not being able to look him in the face. With his wand, he moved Draco’s head, so that he could view him from every angle, and then in an insulting fashion – as though Draco’s mind were his own - probed inside his head. Draco used all his training, and gave all his safe memories and his implanted memories of escape for viewing. Obedient, well trained, terrified Draco. Luckily Voldemort did not try pressing him too far, and he was very used to his followers feeling terrified. Draco had passed the first stage. He felt himself trembling as Voldemort released him.

Voldemort was pleased with what he saw. The boy was tall, handsome, and obviously intelligent. He had been bored with Lucius and Bellatrix gone. Peter was too timid and fawning to amuse him much, and the new recruits – the younger Crabbe and Goyle included - were not very worthy of his attentions. The Lestranges and Lucius formed the mainstay of his existence. They were devoted to him, and were therefore more amusing to torment. Voldemort was bored. Maybe he was the Darkest wizard around, but he was also the cleverest. He had been so many years in the forest, slithering around in the bodies of snakes. Now sometimes he thought that it had been as interesting as life was now. None of his satellites had a brain cell between them. Torture was all very well, but it got exhausting and repetitive after a while. In fact, maybe it was time to finish Snape off. Meanwhile, confident in his estimate of Draco, he made a mistake. He glanced at Goyle. “Bring me a chair,� he commanded. He turned to Draco “I want to hear all the news about Dumbledore and Harry Potter.� He waved a hand, “Let the house elves bring in some tea for the boy. I will take a little of my own favorite cocktail.� He let a hand drape down onto Nagini’s head, enjoying the tiny start Draco gave as he noticed the snake for the first time. He liked to invoke fear.

“Do sit down,� he invited, in a honeyed voice. “I want to hear all about my old school.� He was pleased to note that Draco was disconcerted.

A cringing house elf rushed forward with a padded chair, and another set up a table and china. Voldemort, watching like a hawk without seeming to, was pleased to see the boy didn’t even notice the house elves. He sat down and poured the tea, looking sideways at the tall red frothing glass that was handed to his mentor. The tray held little afternoon biscuits. Draco had certainly not been expecting this. However, the tea was welcome and hot, and he wasn’t about to let his guard down. It would be unlikely Voldemort would fill him full of Veritaserum, and he had been trained on how to combat the effects as much as possible, and couldn’t very well refuse to drink. He filled Voldemort in on Hogwarts, leaving out certain details, and embroidering others, but only insofar as his training had gone. Dumbledore had been specific as to what he was to say. Most of his description of the Hogwarts defenses was accurate. Dumbledore had known that Voldemort would know. However, the students wouldn’t have known, so it put Draco in a good light – at least it would seem that he had kept his head. He gave Voldemort the passwords to all the dormitories, but was afraid they would all have been changed since his escape. He did know, however, that Dumbledore always used a sweet or favourite treat as the password to his own tower.

The attention he was given would have seemed welcoming to Draco, had he been what he seemed, but he was on his guard, so he did notice the sidelong look Voldemort gave him from time to time. He described the state of affairs at his own house, not saying too much about his mother and the way in which she was behaving.

After they had been talking for a while, Voldemort gave a rather sinister smile. “Well, Mr. Malfoy. I see you are going to be an asset to our...community, shall I say. I also have a treat prepared for you this evening. We have arranged a break out from Azkaban, which I believe will be successful. You should be reunited with your father this evening. Also, I have arranged for your mother to be joining us. We will have the whole family here.� He looked at Draco with hooded eyes, but did not note any change, besides perhaps a slight paleness.

Draco, who had been waiting for the trap, still found it hard. He forced himself to act normally, and inclined his head. “You are very kind.� Damn, Voldemort had noticed something. He took another sip of tea to give him time to think, and said lightly. “I find it hard to believe you persuaded my mother. She usually prefers her men to fight while she stays behind to mop up the blood.�

“I believe your mother to be a traitor,� Voldemort said blandly, watching Draco like a hawk. Draco started, saw Voldemort watching him and then shrugged in an astonished fashion. “I don’t believe so. I did live at home over the summer, and I certainly saw no signs of it.� He sneered slightly. “I don’t think she would have the guts to be a traitor! Certainly she shows no interest in politics so far as I can see beyond writing out lists of eligible pureblood girls my age.� For a moment he was worried that he had gone too far, but Voldemort sat back, his eyes unreadable. Draco decided to risk one more thing that his Slytherin self suggested. Surely Voldemort would appreciate ambition. “I would ask my Lord to please remember that as I am younger and stronger than my father, and have my training fresh in my memory. I can serve you as well as him,� he suggested delicately. Voldemort was facing one of his own kind, a Slytherin almost as devious and sly as himself, and Draco was well trained and smooth. He came across as a little jealous that his father would be rejoining them – slightly childish, a little petulant and eager to please his new lord and master.

Voldemort was not displeased. The lad seemed to have some competitive issues with his father. Any kind of friction between members he found mildly amusing. It would be amusing to pit father and son against each other. But for now he was satisfied. He waved a hand. “Now I have business to attend to. Goyle here will show you to your room. Leave your wand with me. I will need to check it.� Draco was very disconcerted by this information, but could not very well refuse. After all, all he had practiced recently were curses and hexes. Hopefully Voldemort would think that he had used them trying to escape. He bowed, and handed over his wand. Without it, he felt naked. Draco noticed a group of weary looking Death Eaters enter the hall. Their robes were battle stained. He would have like to have stayed, and did not disguise his curiosity. It would be natural, after all. However, as an obedient satellite, he got up and bowed and followed Goyle, who had been waiting the whole time just beyond earshot. He motioned towards Parvati, who flapped to his shoulder.

Draco and Parvati were glad to see that the rest of the building was more as they had imagined, with twisting corridors, and dimly lit passages. It was a relief to the eyes. Goyle showed Draco to a small room, which was clean, but rather barren, with no pictures, a small jug of water and a glass on top of a cooling device, a few mugs, and coffee beans in jars on the bedside table. Parvati immediately made for the jug and drank thirstily. Draco said goodbye to Goyle and, obedient to his training, checked the place for Muggle bugs in the way Hermione had showed him. There were none, but he would have been very surprised if there had been – Voldemort would not need Muggle tricks. Then he cast a silencing spell (“Muffliato�)on the bed and slipping off his shoes, lay down. If he had silenced the room, people may have been suspicious, but if they found a spell on his bed, hopefully they would just think he was just trying to get a good night’s sleep. As he flopped down, Parvati landed on his stomach.

“Bad news,� he told her grimly. “My parents are going to be here, and Voldemort does not like my mother. He spoke of a family reunion. I am willing to bet Lilah is here too, and that he has her prisoner. I am dreading this evening. I don’t know how I am going to get through it.� Parvati lay beside him quietly, snuggled into his shoulder. It was worse than either of them could have imagined. Dumbledore had not foreseen this. She could feel from the way he lay that Draco wasn’t taking this as easily as it sounded. Every muscle was tense. She snuggled her face into his neck until he slept, willing himself into sleep so that he would be ready for whatever horrors awaited him that evening. Then she transformed into a mouse this time, and slipped out into the corridor. She had to find Snape.

The corridors were dimly lit and a small black mouse could not be seen running along in the shadows. Parvati noticed lots of escape routes in case of cats, and other mice that might take exception to her, and she sniffed as she ran. It was not difficult to find Snape. He was at the end of a corridor in the opposite wing.

It was obvious that he was not expected to escape; the door was open. A couple of Death Eaters sat playing Wizard Cards at the table opposite, and drinking firewhisky and sloe gin. Every time the cards let out a jinx, there would be raucous laughter.

Parvati slipped through the door with no trouble, and found herself with Snape. His eyes were closed and his breathing labored. One of his wrists was manacled to the walls, so that his body hung from his wrist and he could not get comfortable if he tried. Blood was sticky around this wrist, and she could see the strain of the iron cutting into his flesh. She would not be able to gnaw through the manacles; they would need to use magic. Always assuming they were able to get that far. Parvati saw his lips were cracked and covered in dried blood, and his hair more greasy than ever. To her tiny eyes, his very pores were huge, and his long nose needed cleaning. Beyond the stench of decay, bodily scents and misery, ran another, more familiar scent. Snape had never given off a particularly nice smell – his was impatient and frustrated. This was familiar.

She ran over Snape’s recumbent form to investigate and stopped in surprise. He was not alone. There was a form there in a black hood. When the other person saw Parvati, there was hiss of indrawn breath, and the Death Eater flipped at her with a book. Parvati dodged, and hid in a fold of Snape’s robe, where she looked out, whiskers twitching. The Death Eater looked for the mouse for a while, and one of her hands slid past Parvati’s view. It was a woman. The hand was ringless, but the nails were trimmed and slender. Parvati believed in coincidence, and held her breath. The face was covered, but unless she was mistaken, this was Draco’s sister. For a wild moment from the smell, she had thought it Draco himself.

She watched from her hiding place as the girl crouched, listening, and then lent over the injured man, whispering a warming spell and touching various points of his body with her wand. It was obviously some sort of spell to try and comfort the sleeping man’s various ills.

Once the chatter of the guards stopped, and the Death Eater girl shrank back into the shadows against the walls. A guard looked in, and shone a light into Snape’s face. Had he looked over toward the wall, he would have seen the dark figure crouched there, but he didn’t. In a minute he had gone outside and the guards resumed their play.

The girl waited a minute, and Parvati bit her lip and wondered. All Dumbledore and Draco’s warnings pounded in her rather large ears. At last, however, her natural impulsiveness came into play, and she made the most human noise that she could in little more than a breath.

The girl spun around, her wand held out, clutching the wand, but still careful not to make a sound. Parvati groaned again, and Lilah looked down to where the voice had come from, puzzled. It sounded as if Snape had moaned yet his head was in full view, and his mouth had not opened. The sound was very high too, and did not sound like a man.

“Who is there?� The whisper could hardly be heard, but Parvati needed to know if her hunch was correct before she showed herself. The girl bent her head over Snape and some of her hair swung from her hood. Platinum blond. Parvati took a deep breath and ran out of Snape’s sleeve into full view.

It was quite hard. All her mouse instincts required that she remain hidden. The girl raised her hand as if to shoo the mouse away, but she then dropped it, and stared harder. Anybody else would have told her not to, but Parvati only smelled kindness and fear. She transformed. “I think He Who Must Not Be Named knows you are here,� she whispered.

The girl was well trained. She didn’t move a muscle. Parvati raised her head and found herself looking into a face so like Draco’s she could only stare. The eyes were frozen blue instead of gray. A very Nordic looking Ice Princess. Parvati carried on, “Draco is here. Your father and mother are arriving tonight. He Who Must Not Be Named mentioned a family reunion. Now I think he must know you are here too. It would suit his sense of humour to gather you all.�

Lilah looked at her. “How do you know who I am?� she asked. “How can Draco be here? He is at Hogwarts.� But she had been a fraction too loud. One of the guards got heavily up from the table, and came towards the door. They could hear him say, “That prisoner is frisky tonight. Muttering to himself.�

Lilah and Parvati slipped like one shadow behind the door as it was opened a fraction wider, and an empty bottle was thrown at Snape’s head. He gave a moan as it hit him on the shoulder, and turned his head away. “Shaddup!� growled the guard, and went back to his card game.

Lilah made up her mind, and beckoning Parvati, looked as if she were going to walk out of the room. Parvati dwindled into a mouse again. She didn’t think she had the courage to just walk out. Lilah held out a hand to her, and she jumped up into it before Lilah slipped out of the room as the guards turned back to their game. Keeping in the shadows, she walked down the corridors, and into another room. Parvati had her heart in her mouth the whole time. She didn’t know how Lilah could be so brave. Once in the room, Lilah shut the door and put Parvati on her bedside table.

“We can talk in here. It is secured.�

Parvati transformed, but whispered anyway. “Draco is here. And your father and his mother are arriving tonight. I thought you should be warned, as Draco and I suspected that You Know Who might know you are here.�

Lilah put back her hood to reveal a face that was startlingly beautiful, yet pale as death. “How did Draco know I was here?�

Parvati told the truth. “He doesn’t. We suspected that you might be. You are missing from the Auror group, and they are looking for you.�

Lilah looked up quickly. “Oh, they know where I am alright. They may not have told everybody, but I am in contact with outside forces.� Parvati was puzzled. She had thought Dumbledore at least would rate full information.

“That isn’t what we heard.� She said stubbornly. “We were told that you were missing and that they were searching for you. They found out that you were enlisted under an unregistered name, and it was causing some concern at the Ministry.�

“Who are you, and how do you know who I am?� Lilah still looked anxious, and in shock. Parvati took a deep breath. It certainly looked as if Lilah had been helping Professor Snape. She smelled safe.

Parvati gulped, and said, “I am Parvati Patil. Dumbledore sent us to try to rescue Snape.� Now that she had seen Snape, she knew that would sound ridiculous to Lilah, especially as she and Draco had not formulated a plan for getting Snape out of there.

Lilah sat down on her bed. “If you were counting on using your animagus status as anonymity, you have been mistaken. He will know you are here. He does know I am. I am supposed to be working for him. He has a map with everybody’s name on it.�

Parvati, who had been warned about the Marauder’s Map by Harry, and knew that Voldemort would have one the same, smiled. “I have taken an anti-screening potion,� she admitted. “I am untraceable.�

Lilah shook her head. “No such potion exists,� she pointed out. The Aurors have been working on one for years, and haven’t come up with one.� Parvati smiled again.

“We have a very good Potions Master, late of Hogwarts, who can do truly incredible things with Potions.� And she had found the ingredients in his handwriting in the book he had given her for detention, with instructions on how to make it up. Hermione had made it for her, and she carried the phial around with her constantly. Harry had tested it on his old Marauders Map, and it had worked.

“How do you get in to see Snape without being seen?� Parvati asked curiously.

Lilah shrugged. “He is in his strategy meeting with the older and more experienced Death Eaters at that time. I take a risk, and hope that he is taken up with battle plans. I can’t stand to see Professor Snape in so much pain. He is a great Potions Master. I have read some of his papers.�

Parvati felt more and more admiring. Lilah obviously had courage in spades.

Now she considered. “I think you should get out as soon as possible. And Snape. We have to get him out too. Draco mustn’t come near you – You Know Who would be bound to see. And I have to get back to Draco soon. He is sleeping right now, in preparation for this evening. He finds the constant Occlumency required to be too strenuous right now. Dumbledore said it would grow easier.�

Lilah sighed and looked around. “Not to be too suspicious,� she said quietly, “But all I have is the word of a black mouse that my brother is in the castle. And if I know my father, Draco would be one of the Dark Lord’s strongest supporters by now. And I have never heard of you.�

Parvati looked over at her in despair. “I don’t care whose word it is, you need to get out if you possibly can,� she said. "If you can get to near an entrance with me, I have an invisibility cloak I can trade for yours and then you can take some of my potion. You Know Who will think you have left the castle, and then you can escape.�

Lilah started to look stubborn. “Then who will help you?� She gestured around. “I know all these passageways like the back of my hand. How much of that potion have you got?�

Parvati considered her. “Enough for a long stay. We will need to leave sooner if we are both taking it – or maybe I could send for another bottle somehow.�

Lilah looked at her. “Give it to me,� she said. “I will do most of what you ask. I will go to an entrance. I will then put on the Invisibility cloak without being seen, and take some of that stuff, and go back inside. Then nobody will know I am inside, unless You Know Who sees me himself. Most of these wizards are not able to see through clear plastic, let alone an invisibility cloak.�

Parvati drew a deep breath, and took off the cloak she was wearing, showing Lilah how to use it, and put on Lilah’s instead. Lilah rinsed out an old scent bottle, and, careful not to get any on her skin, emptied a bit of Parvati’s potion into it.

“I will meet you back here later, and take you to Draco,� Parvati promised. “I have to get back now before he wakes up to fill him in on the details. Good luck!� After she had finished, Parvati dwindled again into a mouse.

Lilah put on the robe, and watched Parvati run under the door. She was still troubled. Martin was supposed to meet her and extricate her yesterday. She knew it was a secret mission, but still – it was worrying that nobody seemed to have been able to tell Dumbledore where she was. Her orders were to stay put unless everything failed, and it seemed that plans were failing, but it was suspicious that she had not had any contact. If something had happened to Martin, she should have heard by now.

She sat on the edge of the bed. Perhaps it would be best that she did as the mouse – what was her name - Parvati? – said. She would still know Martin if he did turn up even if she were under an Invisibility cloak. Meanwhile she could watch and see if her father did appear. He was supposed to be so heavily guarded in Azkaban that he could not escape. And if her brother really was here, he would not be able to find her if she used the Invisibility cloak. She began to tremble.

As Parvati entered the bedroom, Draco began to stir. She ran up his leg, and changed back, sitting beside him. He groaned, and sat up reproachfully.

“Parvati, you slipped me a sleeping draught!�

Parvati hung her head. “I know. I could feel how tired you were, and you really needed the rest. You are going to have to be on top form tonight.� Quickly she filled him in on all the details of her trip.

Draco could not believe it. Dumbledore had assured him Parvati would be fine. Parvati had promised not to talk to anybody unless it was a dire emergency. Between them, they had not listened to him, and this was the result. He held his aching head in his hands as he took in the fact that she had told someone her name, given them her invisibility cloak, (airily assuming that this Death Eater girl was on the same side) and showed them that she was an animagus.

“How could you be sure it was Lilah?� he asked hopelessly. Parvati shrugged. “She looked exactly like you. Like the photo. And she smelled like you only even nicer. Like she was habitually kind to animals.�

Draco sighed and walked over to his sink, washing his face in hot water. He was so afraid he felt shaky. But he would not run. He was done running. Parvati was there, and she had been skipping around the castle gathering information while he slept. Some hero.

“Well, it is done now,� he said. “But next time, don’t tell a person who they are – wait until they volunteer the information.� He dressed in black, and put on his robes, still feeling sick. “Well, it must be nearly show time. Let us go and find Goyle and see what we are supposed to do.� He gave her a long kiss, before she shrank and flew to his shoulder, and Draco slipped out of his room.

Goyle was easy to find – they simply explored until they found the main dining hall, and he was there with Crabbe. Draco acted as if he was glad to see them both, and they had a couple of butterbeers together. Draco found that it was very simple to get them to act towards him as they always had done – with the added fillip of the rumour that You Know Who obviously considered him a cut above the other Death Eaters, so he was obviously worth knowing and cultivating.

It was nearing evening, and the dining hall was filling up with customers, when the sudden exclamation went around that somebody was missing, and that You Know Who was furious. The fright in the dining hall was almost tangible. Draco nearly brought up his dinner, but before he could work himself up, he found himself summoned into the presence. The action calmed him a little.

Voldemort was striding the length of his platform, furious. Death Eaters cowered before him. A couple of them lay groaning on the floor. He turned on Draco as he approached, and Draco flinched. Parvati flapped off to sit on her perch.

“It looks like your sister will not be joining us tonight!� Voldemort hissed. “These imbeciles seem to have let her go. We are having the forest searched.�

Draco kept his face stiff. “My Lord, as you well know, I have no sister. If you are referring to …�

His voice tailed away, as Voldemort, enraged shouted “Silence! You will not contradict me! Crucio!�

The command shot through Draco. He had never felt such pain, even when his father had been at his worst. He was unable to think, but just endured, writhing on the ground, screaming until Voldemort saw fit to let him up. Voldemort was laughing now, his rage somewhat appeased. He gave him another burst of the curse as nearby Death Eaters laughed, fear in their hearts – it could be one of them next. Parvati sat on her perch, trying not to look. A raven can’t do much – certainly not cry, but inside she raged bitterly.

Draco dragged himself upright from his fetal position only when he was sure Voldemort was finished, and one of the Death Eaters handed him a bucket into which he vomited copiously. It was obviously something they all did, if they had buckets on hand. Draco felt himself surreptitiously, but he had not wet himself, as he had feared. Shakily, he got up onto his feet, stirring some surprised mutterings from people who obviously thought they were going to have to drag him out.

He bowed to Voldemort, who was staring at him, his eyes red enraged slits. When he spoke, his voice was husky from the screaming. “My lord, my master, I apologize humbly.� He fell on his knees before Voldemort, and lowered his face to the floor. To be honest, it was not simple homage, although it looked like it – his legs simply would not support him, and he thought he might faint.

Voldemort’s voice was venomously silky. “Do not contradict me again my boy. I have a test for you this evening. You will not fail me. You may leave.� It was obviously a threat, but Draco was too weak now to think about it. He crawled backwards until he could stand and exit the room. Parvati sailed to sit on his shoulder.

Goyle was waiting outside with a cup of tea. He looked sympathetic. “We all been through it you know,� he offered, as Draco drank the tea, for once in his life truly grateful to Goyle. “He must like you though, he gave you a specially hard one. Can’t believe you’re still standing.� That, thought Draco was a matter of opinion. In reality he was braced against the wall with his legs locked so that he didn’t fall over. Still shaking, Draco sipped the hot tea. He wanted, more than anything, to leave. Or give in. Give in, and do what Voldemort said, whatever he wanted. It was safer.

Gradually, he became aware of the raven pressing against his neck, giving him as much comfort as she was capable of. Parvati. He still had Parvati. He was not on his own. He could get through this. She could get through this. For the first time, he saw what Dumbledore had meant. He had always done as his father wanted, turning off his own brain, and doing whatever was required of him so that he would not be beaten. He was glad he had Parvati with him. With her there, he had more courage.


Lilah, standing just outside the door to Voldemort’s room, saw Draco come out, and her heart nearly burst with pride. This was her little brother - a man now, and taller than her. He looked pale, as one would after that exhibition she heard, but he was still standing. He was handsome too – and that raven! What an affectation! She wondered where his little mouse friend was, and if she had told him she was there. Now, however, she tiptoed away after a particularly tall guard. The bright lights cast a bit of a shadow, even with the Invisibility cloak.


Draco rested for about an hour, in his room, with Parvati cuddled against him, trying to give him as much comfort as her body allowed, after which he was called back for another audience with Voldemort. This time he went a good deal wiser, and more on guard. Voldemort was everything Harry Potter had ever said. He was dangerous, and Draco was not to be lulled into a false sense of security again with tea and small talk. He had a feeling that something awful was going to happen. He knew his father could persuade his mother to do anything before he went to Azkaban, but as to bringing her to see Voldemort after this last summer -! He did not think his father was going to be able to bring her, and then Voldemort would be livid.

Draco’s father stood next to Voldemort, on the platform and was obviously pleased to see him as he entered. The prodigal son, following in his father’s footsteps. There was no sign of his mother. Draco was slightly relieved. Voldemort did not seem to be upset about it. Parvati flapped to her perch, and Draco walked up to join his father, who put his hand on Draco’s shoulder, with a good grip. They were not given a chance to speak however, before Narcissa and Peter were dragged in.

It was lucky that Draco had had some warning otherwise he may have been overpowered. Lucius Malfoy’s mouth dropped open in shock, as Voldemort watched, sadistically amused. Narcissa’s mouth was bleeding, and her hair, usually so neat and smooth, hung down her back lopsided, pulled down from the usual neat French knot. Her skin was paper white, so the general effect was one of colourlessness, from which her dark blue eyes burned huge and frightened, and the blood looked garish. She still looked beautiful. She was wearing Muggle clothes, with slim heels on her slender feet, one of which had snapped off, so that she stumbled along, falling twice.

Voldemort turned to Lucius. “Your wife. Lending assistance to the Aurors. Inviting them to dinner. Trying to get them to seduce your own son away from the career you had chosen for him.�

Draco said, in well-simulated shock “I thought they were there as guards. I didn’t think she was friendly with them.� His brain was working overtime. He could take a few of them – but after that they would all be dead. He needed to get a wand to Peter -

Voldemort looked over at him, a gaze that seared his skin with its iciness. “We realize that. We have had in-depth reports from the Malfoy Manor.� Now Draco was really in shock. If they had in–depth reports, wouldn’t they have realized that he had been friendly with Peter too? It seemed not.

Voldemort made an imperious gesture. “Martin, David!� The Death Eaters pulled Narcissa and Peter over in front of Voldemort. Draco couldn’t help looking at Peter, but Peter did not meet his eyes. He looked as if he had been pretty badly beaten up before he had been taken prisoner. His robes were cut and soaked with blood at the back, where it looked as if he had been stabbed and his face was almost unrecognizable under it’s layer of dried blood and bruises, yet he was still standing upright, and helping Narcissa whenever he was permitted. Draco wanted badly to rush over and loose him, but he seemed to be rooted to the spot. If he did anything stupid now, Professor Snape and all his information would vanish, he would die, and so might Parvati. It came to him blindingly then, that all he was now was because of Peter. Peter had been the father figure he had always wanted, and never had. All those long talks they had in the Malfoy Manor came back to haunt him.

Voldemort smiled, and gave Lucius a wand. “Put an end to the Auror for us,� he said. “He should not have lived anyway. He is half Muggle and blood brother to your own wife. This is why she betrays you.� Lucius lifted the wand. He looked anguished and bitter and enraged at the same time, a man condemned beyond his strength to do something he must. He had not known of Peter before, but would never doubt the word of his lord and master. He hated Peter instantly, as was evident in his snarl, which was almost feral. The anguish was for his wife. He knew she would be the next victim.

Draco lunged forward as his father raised his wand. He had to get hold of a wand. Instantly he was caught and held. He struggled but he was held securely. There was nothing he could do. He had a horrible vision of what was to come next. He looked over at Peter, and Peter caught and held his eyes. Peter knew there was nothing he could do, but he did not know why Draco was standing with Voldemort. He probably thought that all his advice had been wasted, and that he had joined the Death Eaters. Draco, straining against his captors, tried to tell Peter what he was there for with his eyes. At that moment, as they were holding eyes, the green flash from his father’s curse hit Peter full in the chest, and he crumpled at the knees, and fell. He died believing that all he had taught Draco had been rejected.

Draco felt as if part of him had died too. Slowly his eyes moved to the Death Eater who had been holding Peter. It was the Auror Martin, who had carried his bags into the house that first day. If Martin had not any information about Draco, then Peter must have mistrusted him, and protected Draco. Draco looked at him long and hard. He would not forget that face in a hurry.

Draco was ready when Voldemort turned to him, with a truly evil smile. He expected to be blasted, and chills ran down his spine, but Voldemort was smiling thinly, and holding out Draco’s wand to him. “I have to let your father perform some of the chores himself, young fire eater!� Slowly it dawned on Draco as he moved forward, almost as if sleepwalking, that everyone had thought he was lunging at Peter, not to him. Most of the older Death Eaters were laughing at him in an approving kind of way, and even Lucius, though he surely knew what was to come next, looked bitterly proud.

Draco took the wand from Voldemort, and looked at it, puzzled, still not understanding. Voldemort smiled again, thinly. “Now is your chance to show how much you love your lord! You can dispose of your mother. Too cruel to ask your father, don’t you think?� Draco stared at Voldemort. It seemed like a bad dream. If Voldemort had tried occulmency on him then and there, there would have been nothing to see - Draco's brain had not yet started to function.

As if in a dream, he slowly he turned towards his mother, his wand out, his brain trying to work, but frozen in horror. He would have to kill her captor, and hope that she could grab her wand. With Parvati there, that would make three of them… Before he could open his mouth, his mother took matters into her own hands, and showing unexpected strength, she darted forward, taking her captor by surprise, snatched the wand Martin was holding, and looking at Draco, pointed the wand at herself and shouted the Killing curse. There was a blinding crash, and Voldemort gave a high-pitched scream. Draco himself was thrown backward by the blast, and Lucius gave a cry and plunged forward.

Draco saw in that moment that however much he had not been able to show it, his father had loved his mother very much. And although Draco had doubted it, and been unable to accept any love from her, she had loved her son. She had performed the greatest sacrifice for him, and taken her own life. Soft, silly Narcissa had not been a good mother or wife but in her moment of death, the weak, but loving woman had become strong. Her last act of love and protection had wounded Voldemort. He lay gasping in his chair with the two bodies sprawled on the floor before him.

People stood transfixed. The scene had been so odd. They were used to prisoners being terminated, but Voldemort was not usually overcome by it. As they stood, a black dog approached. For an insane moment, still in shock, Draco thought it was Parvati. But she still stood on her perch. The dog walked up slowly and surely through the assembled Death Eaters, who made way for him. One shouted “The Grim, The Grim!� and there was a panic to get further away. Another Death Eater uttered a curse, and sent a flash of blinding green light right through the dog, but he acted as if he hadn’t noticed and kept walking to where Lucius bent over the fallen figure of Narcissa. Lucius looked up, gasped “Sirius!� and backed away.

The great dog seemed to pick a figure of Narcissa up out of the broken figure lying on the floor. Her hair was smooth, the blood was gone from her mouth, her cheeks had a touch of peach-pink and they seemed warm. One could almost swear she was breathing. It was as if she had lain down and gone to sleep in the jaws of the great hound. The dog walked out of the hall through one of the walls, as steadily and silently as he had come. Voldemort watched, sneering, his long fingered white hand still on his chest, but did not try to stop him. Draco remembered the huge black dog he had seen on platform 9 ¾ a long time ago, and wondered if his father had indeed been right, and that was Sirius, or if that had been the Grim.

Voldemort finally got to his feet, and motioned to the fallen victims. “Take them away.� He stared over at Draco, who lifted his shoulders in an elegant shrug.

“Well, I guess she did my work for me,� Draco said in a cool sneer. “Unexpected too – I did not think she would have the guts to do that.� His voice sounded very cool and very composed. Even an observant person would not have credited him with any emotion. It sent a chill down Parvati’s back to hear him.

When the attack came, it was from Lucius, not Voldemort. Draco was struck down from behind with the Cruciatus Curse, as hard and fast as his father could send it. It was Voldemort who intervened to break the curse, but not before Draco had suffered a while. Parvati, watching, thought it seemed as if Voldemort did not care one way or the other if Draco suffered. She hurt in silence, unable to do anything but watch, as her Draco lay writhing on the ground in agony.

As Draco lay gasping on the ground, he heard Voldemort’s voice as smooth as ice, “Really Lucius! Are you avenging your wife, or protesting your son’s insolence?�

Lucius’s voice came, strangled with emotion. “He is rude to you…�

Voldemort cut in “And he feels no natural affection for his mother. I like that. I like that a lot. I do not think you should harm the boy, Lucius. He shows great potential. If you had been as ready to fight for me I would have been in power much sooner. You show too much attachment to your wife, Lucius. You think you can hide it from me, but I can see through you.�

Draco rose to his feet, retching, and Goyle ran to support him. Voldemort strode over to Draco and lifted his head with his wand, but turned to talk to Lucius. “He favours you Lucius. But there is no sign of weakness in this face. Which brings me to your daughter.� Draco saw his father, receive almost one shock too many, as his now white lips mouthed “Lilah?� Draco’s head fell, as Voldemort removed his wand suddenly and furiously.

Voldemort turned, dangerous, his slit-like eyes flickering over the faces of the Death Eaters assembled in the room. “She escaped. How she managed is not yet known, but she will be found, or I will feed the griffins well tomorrow.�

There was an assembled moan of fear, which Draco did not hear. He looked over at Parvati. She was sitting on her perch, near in feet, but it could have been over a thousand miles. He couldn’t even see her eyes properly – they were black, and beady, as a raven’s are. He needed her more than he could say. He really needed her. He wasn’t even thinking of Voldemort’s last words, didn’t even remember Lilah. All he could see were the forms of Peter and his mother lying on the floor, all life vanished, and all he could think of was Parvati, her warmth and vitality, and how much his abused body hurt.

He stood up straight, gingerly, and took his arm from Goyle’s. His stomach had never been so assaulted. He felt bruised and battered all over. He had been taught about the Cruciatus Curse, but had not even begun to imagine how it might feel. Now he had received it twice in such quick succession, he knew how it could send people mad. He pulled himself together, gave a sneering smile, and turned to Goyle, who had just begun a rather uncertain smile back, when Voldemort turned to Draco, making Goyle flinch backwards in fear.

“You may go. I will need to talk to your father. You can find him tomorrow if you wish to converse.� Draco bowed low, and walked away, noticing his father begin to back and cower and cringe, as Voldemort turned to him once more. Parvati flapped to sit on his shoulder, and Draco had to force himself to keep his hand down – he wanted so much to grab her. He could feel from her claws cutting into him, and the way her feathers trembled against his neck that she felt the same way.

Draco had one more ordeal to go through before he could escape to his room. Crabbe and Goyle wanted to stand him yet another butterbeer. He thought it better to stay with them, and not give rise to gossip by running to his room straightaway. It would be far better to be seen laughing and drinking in the dining hall. It would lend more authenticity to his character. Let him act a while longer, before he rested. He acted well, though he needn’t have worried so much – Crabbe and Goyle were not observant companions. A few snide remarks, a joke or two at another Death Eater’s expense, and they were satisfied.

At one point Draco asked them something to which Parvati saw them shrugging, and he left them to go into the kitchens, where he was seen in earnest conversation with one of the house elves. He came back with a bagful of birdseed. A couple of hours and some rather drab and watery Shepherd’s Pie (which Parvati refused, though he came over to the birds section and offered her a spoonful) later, Draco sought refuge.

He entered his room, and leant back against the door, throwing the birdseed down onto the bedside table. He closed his eyes for a brief second. Parvati flapped to sit on the bed, and Draco looked at her. “Parv, I need you to hold me.� That he asked showed hope for his future. That he had, showed how deeply he was affected.

Parvati immediately transformed, and leapt forward to take him in her arms. She had watched him throughout the evening, been tortured by his pain, and now couldn’t imagine what he was going through. She had almost been frightened by his self-control. It was the first time he had asked her for anything, and she saw that he had let down nearly all his barriers for her.

Draco buried his face in her neck and clung to her, shaking. Dumbledore had been right. He needed her. What would he have felt if he had been on his own? Could he have remained sane? He kissed her neck and jaw line passionately, holding her tightly to him. He nibbled on the tender lobe of her ear, teasing the earring lightly with his teeth. He knew he shouldn’t, and wouldn’t when it actually came to it, but he wanted her very badly. He supposed sex would be a wonderful relief from tension, but he was not going to use Parvati in that way. He was sick of people being used. He wanted their first time to be special, not with him blindly trying to forget.

Parvati sensed the quiet desperation, as he gently bit along her jaw, making her bones melt, and pulled his head away, so that she could look deep into his eyes and see the agony there, before she kissed him hard and furiously, until his head swam. She flung herself backwards down onto the bed, and pulled him down on top of her, kissing him wildly, but he found his control, and stopped her as her hands slipped down inside his robes, and held them, looking down into her eyes. “No, Parvati. Not now. Not just for me. Let it happen for both of us another time. I can’t mix what should be a wonderful experience with what happened today. I want it to be perfect.�

He saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes, and pulled her into a sitting position with her head on his chest, resting his chin on her hair. Little tremors still ran through her, and he was amazed that kissing him could do that to her. Not right now, but when they came together, he knew that she would be all wildcat. Her reactions to him were almost untamed in their intensity. Now however she sobbed into his chest, crying as he couldn’t, albeit silently. “I can’t bear this happening to you.�

He didn’t know how he could either. It would be a long time before the horrors of the evening faded. It would almost have seemed better in a darker setting. The garish colours of the red carpet and yellow walls lit brightly seemed to make the scene more of a travesty. As Parvati cried for him, Draco rocked her, the rocking motion comforting him, almost as much as her tears. He could not cry for himself, so it was a relief to have her cry for him.

They sat together a long time until there was a rap at the door. Both froze in position, and then Parvati quickly transformed into a raven, and flapped to sit on the edge of the bed. A blessing that a raven would not show up her red eyes.

Draco went to the door and opened it. There was nobody outside, but a breeze, and he felt a light waft of air on his arm as someone passed him, and he remembered Lilah. Lilah was in the room. He closed the door, and looked to where he thought she might be. “You can take the cloak off now. I thought the arrangement was that we would come to you.�

Lilah dropped the hood of the cloak, letting her glorious hair swing out free. She looked at him. “It was too dangerous. My corridor has been blocked. They are sweeping my room for clues.� She gazed at him searchingly a moment longer, and then was in his arms. “Draco! My Draco! I missed you so much!� He stroked her back comfortingly.

“Lilah. I always hoped I would see you again.�

Her eyes were shining, as she drew back to admire him again. “You are so tall and handsome! Peter got me some photos of you, but it is so much better to see you in person!� She noticed he had turned almost deathly white.

“It is alright now. Peter couldn’t tell you where I was, or who I was. But he sent me some photos of you. He liked you very much, and thought a lot of you, although he pretended that you were enemies to keep you as safe as he could. We were under orders from the Ministry not to tell you anything though. Now I know we are working on the same side, it won’t matter.�

Draco stammered, “You know Peter? Peter Drake?� He staggered over to the chair as if he had been felled, and sat, his head nearly on his knees. His sight was blurring, and he felt as if he had sustained too many shocks already today. Parvati noticed in horror that his face was now a greenish white.

Lilah could see that there was something badly wrong. “Peter is my husband,� she whispered, her face growing pale.

Draco, unable to speak, turned to Parvati, who transformed, and went to slip an arm around Lilah. “You had better sit down,� she said comfortingly. Lilah did not move. Her feet were rooted to the spot and her face looked ashy, and her lips bloodless. “Something is wrong,� she said, her voice hardly more than a whisper. “Something is wrong. What do you know? What is happening? What are you hiding from me?� Her voice had risen too much in her panic. She made an effort, and dropped it.

Draco shook his head soundlessly. He couldn’t speak. He looked at Parvati. She looked sick too. She had never had to give bad news before, but now she thought it was probably better to give the news all at once. She gripped Lilah’s shoulders hard. “It is the worst kind of news,� she said. “Peter Drake was killed today, on Voldemort’s orders, by Lucius Malfoy. Narcissa Malfoy was to be terminated too, but she took her own life.�

Lilah stayed where she was, but her hands moved up to cover her face. She rocked, keeping back the tears and sobs that were threatening to overcome her. Her perfect quiet rather unnerved Parvati, who could feel the shudders running through her, and knew they were valiant attempts to keep emotion at bay. ‘What happened to these two?’ she wondered. ‘They are unable to cry – it isn’t because she is trying to be quiet, it is because she cannot cry. She cannot give herself that relief. I don’t see how she is able to keep it in.’ She kept her arms around the older girl, and Draco recovered enough to pour some water into a glass, knowing it was useless as far as comfort went, but unable to think of anything else to do. Eventually Lilah stopped shaking so badly, and turned her head into Parvati’s neck. Parvati stroked her hair for a long while. When she looked up, she reminded Parvati of Draco. She had not shed a tear, but her eyes were fiercely bright. She was one of the most beautiful people Parvati had ever seen. Lilah spoke through clenched teeth, not wanting her voice to shake.

“Tell me the whole story.� Parvati led her to the chair, and sat her down in it. She did not think Lilah would be able to stand while hearing the news.

Draco knelt down in front of her, and took one of her hands, and told the story as best as he could. When he mentioned seeing the Auror Martin, her nostrils flared. She spoke in a low voice. “I am going to kill Martin.� Her words hung in the air, and then she tried to smile. It was a pitiful attempt. “I was working with Martin. Peter and Martin were supposed to be guarding Narcissa, and looking out for you. I made Peter promise to do that assignment for me when I got seconded to Voldemort’s stronghold as an assistant griffin keeper. Before then, I had managed to stay near, so that I could watch over you all. I was very worried that you would become a Death Eater. Peter told me he thought you were reconsidering. Martin used to carry messages between us. That must be how Voldemort knew that Narcissa and Peter were friendly. It must have been a great struggle to capture them. Peter was a very strong Auror.�

Draco asked, hesitantly, and rather hopelessly, “Are you sure it is the same Peter? He was rather a lot older than you.�

Lilah gave him a bittersweet smile. “He is a lot older. I mean, was. Seventeen years older. You see, when Dad threw me out, I knew nothing. I had nothing, and I did not know how to cope in the world. I was a poor little rich girl who had never had to fend for herself. Peter found me that first night, walking through London to keep warm, wondering how to get to my boyfriend’s – I did not know how to Apparate, and had no idea of how to negotiate Muggle London. He took me there on the Knight Bus, stayed long enough with me to find that my boyfriend actually had another girlfriend, and did not want me around, and then he took me to his place. It was all very proper, and he was so kind. He basically made my life wonderful. I saw him as the father figure I had never really had, and then I fell very much in love with him. He was so gentle and wonderful. It took me over five years before I could convince him that I loved him, and another year before I could convince him to marry me, and all that time he never laid a hand on me. He probably never would have married me if I hadn’t forced the issue. He said he was too old, and I needed somebody younger.� She was silent, remembering, her eyes luminous.

Parvati had tears streaming down her face, and was in desperate need of a handkerchief, but Lilah herself stayed dry eyed. She was still in shock, trembling every so often. Her hands in Draco’s were like ice. Parvati pulled the blanket off the bed, and wrapped her in it. She got up and made coffee the muggle way, just in case anyone was watching their room for magic, and added lots of sugar to Lilah’s cup. Lilah drank, shivering, until she had managed to control her shaking enough to ask, “Where did they put him?�

Draco shook his head. “I do not know. Voldemort just ordered him removed.�

Lilah clenched her teeth. “I would have liked to have had his wedding ring back. We wear them on chains around our neck. I wonder if they had him taken to the tombs? I want to see him again.� She strode towards the door. Draco gave Parvati a rather panicked look. It was obvious that in her present condition, Lilah should not be going anywhere.

Parvati thought of the state in which she had last seen Peter, and shook her head. “I don’t think you should go. I think you should remember him as you last saw him. He had some bruising.� She caught Lilah by the shoulders before she could turn the door handle. Lilah drooped, but Parvati turned her gently around. “He wasn’t the handsome man you remember Lilah,� she said gently. “Why not remember him as he was? Why put yourself through this?�

Lilah nodded once, but her face looked more tragic than Parvati could have believed possible. At last her eyelids began to droop. Draco looked over at Parvati, and then the coffee. Parvati nodded silently. When Lilah sagged, they carried her to the bed, and laid her down, covering her with the blanket.

Draco stood up. “I am going out. There were rumours of an escape exit in the Tombs. Nobody has found it, but Crabbe mentioned it. The Tombs have been searched thoroughly, but nobody found the exit. There is definitely one down there - I found out from one of the house elves when I asked for your birdseed. Nobody thinks to question them – and they do respond to kindness. Neither do they owe any allegiance to Voldemort. As far as I can make out their original owners were slaughtered. The elf says the exit is hidden by an older magic. I am going to try some unlocking charms anyway. If Peter is down there, I will try to get his wedding ring for Lilah. Watch her while I am gone.�

“Draco – you can’t! Voldemort has got a map! He will know where you are!� Parvati whispered frantically, as he strode toward the door. “We have to get Snape out of here – we can’t get caught! Draco!� She grabbed his shoulders.

Draco turned, and his eyes, miserable and frustrated met hers. “I am sorry Parvati. I have to go. We have to get out of here, and the force here is stronger and the exits are guarded more heavily than we thought. If I don’t make it back get Lilah to help you with Snape. You know, when I was younger, I couldn’t do anything to help her. Now I can.� He hesitated. “I was very fond of Peter too,� he said quietly. Parvati saw from the devastation in his eyes that it was an understatement. “And I need to make peace with my mother.� He ran a finger down Parvati’s cheek, and wiped away the tears. He kissed her gently. “I love you Parvati. I don’t know what I would have done without you these last few weeks.� He knew it was a mistake to tell her, but he was feeling vulnerable and needed her to know.

Parvati gazed into his eyes. “I love you too,� she said at last, her voice trembling. “Draco, look after yourself. Come back to us. Take some of this, and use your invisibility cloak.� She handed him the flask of Anti-Screening Potion. “Better that Voldemort sees you disappear off the map than he sees where you go. He may think it a malfunction of the map, if we are lucky.�

Draco kissed her again, hungrily. “Hopefully he won’t be looking. He can’t look at that thing all the time.� He opened the door carefully and looked out. There was nobody there. He pulled the invisibility cloak over his head and closed the door. Parvati stood in the middle of the room, feeling a leaden weight on her chest. Yet Draco had said he loved her. She had always imagined that hearing those words from him would make her heart sing. Now she would not be able to enjoy them until he returned and she knew he was safe.

It was cold in the room, but Lilah had the blankets. Parvati covered her even more, pulling the covers over the lower half of her face. If one just glanced into the room, they would see what looked like Draco under the covers. In the shadows, the faces were so similar they could be mistaken. She herself dwindled into a raven again, to try to sleep on the bedpost.

The Tombs

Draco walked down the long corridors, not knowing where he was going, but following the direction he had seen the returning guards coming from.

The place was huge and sprawling, but Draco’s one inborn talent was a wonderful sense of direction. He always knew where he was going. The entrance to the tombs would traditionally be located at the very middle of a castle. It was not a secret anyway, he discovered. There were even signs pointing the direction. He guessed that the Tombs had been much used since Voldemort moved in.

There were two guards at the entrance, and Draco slipped through them easily - it was a little like playing Quidditch, and slipping through the bludgers, only easier. None of the guards exhibited what Draco thought of as any intelligence.

The steep, dark narrow stairs smelled rank. They were poorly lighted, and water dripped down the walls. Draco had to be very careful not to make a sound, as the stairwell was echoing even the slightest breath.

It must be quite creepy for the two guards up at the top. He inched his way along, and had gone quite far, only to find that the people he thought were talking downstairs, were actually climbing up the stairs. It was another two guards, and the stairway was not wide enough for two people, unless they made room for each other.

Draco did not really want to have to climb the 200 odd steps he had already negotiated, but seeing no option, started up again, ahead of the guards. After they had gone a few more steps however, he heard two more guards start on their way downstairs. He looked around frantically, but there was no niche that he could hide in. They were coming closer every second.

He considered lying flat along one of the walls but the guards would feel him as they squeezed by each other. Panicking, he did the only other thing possible, and started to climb up the walls.

It would have looked easy to a person accustomed to rock climbing, but Draco had never tried before. The huge stone bricks were slippery and slimy with moisture and mold, and his fingers clung for a hold. His foot, clad in mercifully flexible dragon hide boots, skidded twice from in between the cracks of stone. A few times he felt things with his fingers slimy things that he would rather not have felt.

He made the mistake once of looking down, and felt his stomach roll. If he fell, he would hit the stairs and keep going until he reached the bottom. He lost his footing again as he looked, and nearly fell, but saved himself in time, digging his fingernails into the moss between two stones to give him some leverage.

He could see his hands now, jutting out from the invisibility cloak, but there was nothing he could do about it, he didn’t have time to fiddle with it, he had to climb. Luckily his hands were dirty and it was shadowy. He was just in time.

Two guards passed underneath him, talking loudly, and laughing at something, and then he saw them squeeze past the other guards on their way down. He waited, his brow furrowed in concentration, and his fingertips clinging to the walls, and then he used their loud voices as a cover when he dropped again, like a cat, landing lightly although he had dropped more than his own length onto an uneven surface. His fingers throbbed.

He continued on the long winding way slightly faster now, as he knew the talking and footfalls of the men in front of him would be masking any noise he made.

The air became more rancid the further down he got, and the lights burned more feebly. It was impossible to see how far the winding stair went, until he reached the bottom, and then it was a surprise. A dark corridor, shiny with slimy mold stretched before him. He walked along it, skidding a little in the shiny green wetness. Skid marks showed where previous Death Eaters had fallen. The walls dripped, and the loud echoing of water somewhere in the distance sounded menacing.

Draco slipped past the two guards easily. They had sat down at a table with a flickering lamp, and a bottle of firewhisky, neither of them looking very happy about it, and both hunched morosely in their robes.

The entrance to the room he needed lay in front of him. Inside, huge stone slabs lay around the room, looking a little like a flattened Stonehenge. The cold seemed to be intensified here, and Draco’s breath showed a cloudy white. The light here was more like moonlight, white in quality, giving the room an almost ethereal look. Pools of water lay on the uneven floor, and a quantity of miscellaneous mouldy rubbish lay stacked against the walls. Rusty rings were attached to the walls, some with chains attached, leeching their iron down the moist stone like old bloodstains. The remains of what could have once been a beautiful set of shelves with glass bottles on them stood at one side of the room. Now the shelves were rotting, and the bottles covered in spiders’ webs and mould.

Peter and Narcissa lay on their backs on a stone slab, beside each other, their hands by their sides. The pale moonlight made it look almost as if they were asleep.

Draco walked over quietly, trying not to let his footsteps echo, and looked down at his mother a long while. She had died to save him, and he had only opened one of the many letters she had sent him, while she was alive. She had never known he had opened it. He would never be able to change that now. He whispered now, “I’m sorry,� and was momentarily surprised to hear his voice echo around the walls. He waited, but did not feel any kind of closure. ‘Sorry,’ was inadequate for what he was feeling.

He waited a moment longer, imprinting her face on his memory, and then walked around the slab to Peter. Peter looked asleep too. His face looked bruised and battered in the faint light, but he also looked younger, and almost at peace. Draco felt awkward, but murmuring an apology, felt under his robes for the ring, and broke the necklace holding it. He felt he should say something. “I wish I had known you were my brother in law,� he said softly. “I would have been proud. Lilah made a good choice. I am taking the ring to her. She wanted it. I know you never knew that I liked you very well, but I will never let you down. I did listen to all you told me, even if I pretended I hadn’t.� Even in the quiet and to himself, he felt ridiculous saying it aloud, but after he had finished, he was glad he had.

A thought occurred to him, he walked around to his mother, and removed her engagement and wedding rings. “Any woman would be proud to wear these,� he told her silently, and that seemed to do it. He felt a little better. If she was with Sirius now, perhaps she was better off. She certainly had not had much happiness since her marriage. With the upcoming war, she would have had even less. Now she had escaped forever.

**************

It was lucky he had good reflexes, as he jumped sideways when he heard the hiss. At first he looked around for a person, the sound was like that of an indrawn breath, but then he realized that the sound had been from lower down. It was Nagini. Draco held his breath, but snakes have a good sense of smell. Flickering her tongue in and out, she faced his direction unerringly. Draco wondered if she could see him through his invisibility cloak, and when she next struck, moved out of the way just in time. The snake’s head followed him so quickly he knew he was right. She could see him. She herself almost blended in with the dark shadows in the room.

Draco began to sweat. He shot an Impediment curse at her, but it bounced off her scales. For all he knew the snake recognized him, and would tell Voldemort of his presence in the tombs. He had to stop Nagini. He stood tensed for her next strike. He could not use his wand, as he knew it would be certain death if he took his eyes off her. Running would not help. Snakes – especially one that size – were as faster than he was.

************

Upstairs, Parvati tensed as the doorknob rattled. Crabbe slipped into the room, sounding like a handful of elephants, but obviously trying to be as quiet as he could. Parvati tensed as he held a lantern up to the bed. Lilah’s face was still half covered by the blanket. Crabbe started as she stirred in her sleep, and Parvati gave a soft caw. Crabbe, frightened, slipped out. Parvati felt a cold sweat start, and transformed quickly into a mouse form, so that she could follow Crabbe.

Had he seen that it was Lilah and not Draco? She followed him towards a lighted corridor, but could go no further, unless... She was in luck. Crabbe stopped to talk to a Death Eater. There were only a couple of feet in the open for her to cross. She took the chance, and dashed inside Crabbe’s robe. She trembled at her nerve. Crabbe was going towards Voldemort’s audience chamber. She scrambled inside the lining of his robes, and clung on for dear life. Did Voldemort never sleep? It was about four in the morning. She strained her sensitive ears for sound.

“He is in bed asleep, My Lord,� Crabbe bowed, his nose nearly touching the ground.

Voldemort hissed. “Strange then, that I cannot see him… Everybody else seems to be in sight.�

‘I knew it!’ Parvati thought to herself. ‘Oh dear – I had better doctor a few other people’s drinks or something so that he believes it is the result of the map going wrong.’

“I looked at his face, My Lord,� Crabbe said anxious to prove that he had done his job well. “I know it was him.�

“I wonder…� Voldemort did not say anything for a while. Then, just as she felt Crabbe shuffle his feet, Voldemort hissed, “Then you can take a message to the Head Griffin Keeper. I am not going to keep Snape around any longer. Get the griffins ready to feed tonight. We will loose all the prisoners. After you have spoken to the Head Griffin Keeper, you had better see the Head Jailer, and let him know that all prisoners are to be in the arena at 8 tonight, including Snape. And I want him to triple the guard on Snape’s cell. I want people in there with him too. And they are not to play cards or drink. That Malfoy girl visited him a couple of times, which I don’t mind. Nice to get the prisoner’s hopes up – it makes them much harder to break, but I am still looking for her. And after that, you had better report back to me, as I want to be sure you understood your directions, and gave the letters. If you heard wrong, you can join the prisoners.�

Parvati guessed Voldemort must have either had someone writing the letters as he spoke, or had a quill do it for him, for Crabbe was given two letters to deliver. After that, he must have waved Crabbe away, because Crabbe started walking slowly backwards, bowing, and sweating. Parvati could smell the sweat on him. She herself was feeling scared and she hadn’t even seen Voldemort , only heard his voice.

Crabbe was obviously not too anxious to stay within Voldemort’s hearing, as he almost ran out of the august presence. Once he was in the shadows again, Parvati leapt from his robe and ran along the wall. The walls were clear, and she could smell nobody near, so she transformed quickly, pulling her hood over her head, in the manner of a Death Eater, and entered the dining hall. She joined a line for soup with others taking the night shift. With some sleight of hand, she managed to drop a bit of the anti-screening potion into the soup that was being handed out as she queued for her meal. She took a bowl herself as it was handed to her, and drank it. It was the first food she had eaten that day, and she felt the better for it. She noted with satisfaction the amount of people drinking the soup.

Hopefully people would be winking out all over the map soon. As she hurried back along the corridors, she managed to shake some more potion drops into the drinking water urns that stood along the walls. Finding an empty room, she transformed into a mouse, and ran along the walls until she reached Draco’s room, where she slipped underneath the door.

She transformed back to a raven, and fluttered up to the bedpost. Lilah was still asleep. Parvati was young and healthy. In spite of the horrors of the day, she had worked hard and was replete with some filling soup. She was worried about Draco, but overcome with all that she had experienced that day, she fell asleep.

***********

Draco leapt over one of the stone slabs. If he hadn’t been so quick, Nagini would have had him. He felt her strike his cloak. The invisibility cloak was making it harder for her – perhaps she couldn’t see him as well as he thought. He heard her fangs striking the stone where he had been standing, as he swirled around and sidestepped quickly.

He looked around frantically, and saw a huge old rope hanging down from the middle of the room. As she struck again, he threw himself at the rope, and swung to the other side of the room. As he swung, a silent stone trapdoor opened in the middle of the room, and the sound of turbulent water increased. Draco saw swirling foam below him. As he let go of the rope, the trapdoor closed as silently. Could all snakes swim? He doubted it – not in water like that anyway. He looked around for a weapon besides his wand.

There were some rocks, if he could get to them, but rocks would make a sound and call the guards. He saw a rusty iron grille at the side of the wall, and a few wooden planks.

Nagini thought she had him now. She was weaving towards him very slowly, but confidently. She was actually on top of the trapdoor, but there was no way Draco could get to the rope without being bitten. He shot a jinx at the snake, but it ricocheted off her scales again, and petered out harmlessly on one of the stone slabs. Draco shot another spell to try and Stun the snake, but that too, rebounded, this time striking one of the slabs with a louder crack.

As Draco leapt up onto another stone slab to evade Nagini, the two Death Eater guards entered, alerted by the noise. Nagini struck again, but by some lucky chance missed. The two guards however were now aware of a presence that shouldn’t be there. One of them ran forward, and stood on the trapdoor, the other loosed off a torrent of jinxes to the wall where Nagini was pointing, missing Draco by inches. However, the volley of rebounds as the jinxes hit the walls and bounced off the wards helped Draco by confusing all of them.

Draco murmured “Wingardium Leviosa!� and this time the spell worked. Nagini shot into the air, writhing and hissing her fury above one of the guards, who panicked. The other guard turned around, shooting sparks out of his wand like machine gun fire. Draco was hit, missed his footing, sending a large stone skittering across the floor, and lost his concentration. His wand arm dropped, and Nagini flew up into the air and then down again to hit the floor with a resounding SNAP! She was spitting mad, but the fall seemed to have hurt her somehow, because she was much slower in turning, which saved Draco’s life, and did for one of the guards. He was leaping to where he thought Draco was from the direction at where the stone had been kicked (accurately as it turned out), as Draco bolted away. Nagini struck the guard instead. He gave a howl of agony and dropped like a stone.

The other guard, now obviously under the impression that Nagini was attacking them for some reason, lost his head, and loosed off a shower of burning sparks again, spraying Nagini and the slabs liberally. Draco, crouched down behind one of the slabs grinned a little grimly, and watched Nagini turn irritably to face the guard, hissing in defiance. He could have run out now, but he had to finish off Nagini.

She had seen him, and he was pretty sure that she knew who he was, and could tell Voldemort. He had time to think now, and he remembered Harry. Harry and…the Basilisk! What had he done? He had blinded the snake so it couldn’t see. Draco didn’t know how he was going to blind Nagini; he didn’t have any sharp implement with him. But wait! He knew the conjunctivitis curse! He remembered Krum and the dragon in the Tri-Wizard tournament. If the curse worked on a dragon, it should work on a snake. He watched Nagini descend on the terrified Death Eater, who kept spraying her with sparks, regardless of the fact that they weren’t working to deter her in the slightest. A moment later, he too, lay sprawled on the ground.

Draco waited until Nagini had turned to face him, and then aimed straight for the eyes. It worked! She writhed in agony, and then came like a bullet straight for him. Her sense of smell was still intact. Draco loosed off another jinx, letting forth a smell of strong onions, and waited, knowing Nagini couldn’t see him or smell him now, and then leapt over her head, as she was about to strike. He only just made it – her quick snake ears heard him, and she followed the breath of air. He felt her catch his robes again, and heard a small tear, as her fang caught in the cloth. He had to get her on top of the trapdoor. He circled quickly, as Nagini seemed to regroup and then regain some of her speed, and ran to the trapdoor, where he stood, braced. Nagini stopped, and considered, hissing viciously. Draco wondered if she actually did know where she was, and was avoiding the trapdoor.

He looked up at the rope above him. If his plan worked, as she struck, he would leap up and catch the rope, and she would fall into the water below. The rope looked a very long way up – he hoped he could reach it. He kept himself braced. Nagini was circling. Perhaps she knew what his plan was? He was about to try ‘Wingardium Leviosa’ again, when she struck. Draco leapt for the rope, and just managed to grab it. His injured arm throbbed, but the trapdoor opened. Nagini hurtled down into the water below, and was carried swiftly away with the foaming current.

Draco just managed to swing the rope sideways, and landed with a thud, falling clumsily. His knees felt weak, and his arm ached terribly. He gave himself ten minutes, and then performed a mending charm on the fabric of the invisibility cloak, which had been burned.

Once he had regained some of his strength, he magically elongated the rope so he could reach it, and pulled on it again, standing well to one side and leaning down to investigate. The water was turbulent, but it ran through a passage that seemed to have air above it. Draco bent as far down as he was able, still holding onto the rope, and then looked across at the broken wood he had noticed earlier. It had once been a raft. He bet at one time people had entered and exited this way. He wondered why it was now disused.

His arm was stinging, and not hearing anybody around, he slipped off his invisibility cloak to look at it. He had a nasty burn across his forearm. No wonder it had hurt. Lucky his wand hadn’t been set on fire though, that was one consolation.

He turned around to put on his invisibility cloak once again, and noticed suddenly that the rope had gone. Frowning, he put on his cloak, looking up at the ceiling, only to find that the rope was again hanging where he had first seen it. He thought he must be imagining things, but just to be sure, he took off his cloak again. The rope vanished. He felt about where it should be, but could not feel it until he put on his invisibility cloak. His spirits began to rise. This was the secret passage! That is why nobody had been able to find it. You needed to be wearing an invisibility cloak to find it. The house elf would not have known that. House elves had their ancient magic that transcended the use of invisibility cloaks.

That was what had confused Nagini – she hadn’t seen the rope, so she didn’t know how the door opened! If only he could be sure that the passage still led somewhere, and that there was air the whole way along it! He pulled on the rope again, and murmuring “lumos!� leant down and looked as far as he could see. There was air above the water as far as he could see. It obviously had not been used for a long time. He wondered how safe it was. The water had a very strong current, and the foam was choppy and dangerous looking.

Draco looked at his watch. Almost half past four. Time he was getting back to bed. He took a last look at his mother, who lay sleeping on the slab, beautiful in death, with the moonlight shining on her, and went out into the hall. The firewhisky was standing unguarded on the table, and Draco lifted it, and gritted his teeth. He poured some over his arm. It hurt like hades, but he knew it would numb the pain once the worst of the stinging wore off. Then he made for the stairs.

Once again, he had to climb the wall to escape some guards descending, and it was even worse than before – the pain in his arm gave him a lot of trouble, although this time he managed to keep his hands hidden. White, and shaking, with sweat pouring down his face, he made it up the rest of the stairs to the top.

Passing the guards now was a difficult trial, not a simple task as it had been when he went down. His legs had no spring left in them. Personally, if he was a guard, he would Apparate up and down stairs, rather than climb them. It felt a bit like climbing up the stairs from Euston Station, only longer, narrower, and more slippery. He found his way back to his room.

When he got back, he woke both girls. Parvarti rushed to transform, and help him out of his cloak, horrified at his arm. Lilah swung herself out of bed to take a look. “What is that? Let me take a look.� She bit her lip when she saw his arm. “Well, I can do a little for that.� She took a tube out of her robes. “It is balm for the griffins when they bite each other, but a little will probably work. They have very tender skin, so it isn’t as if it is going to really hurt you.�

Draco rolled his eyes and moaned, trying for the sympathy vote as she started to smear it onto his skin. It smoked slightly. She glanced up at him with a half smile, although her eyes were still desperately sad. “I was good at Potions Class you know. I make this stuff myself. What were you doing anyway?�

Draco sat wearily on the bed. “I had a little run in with Nagini. I went to find an escape route and to fetch you this.� He handed her the ring. Lilah’s eyes misted over, and she sat down next to him, giving him a hesitant hug.

“Draco, thank you. I appreciate this. It means everything to me.� She slipped the chain off her neck, and added the ring to it, so that both wedding rings hung together, and was silent a minute, head bent. Then she looked up, dry eyed and stony faced. “OK, I am going to fall apart when we have finished here, but we all need to get out of here first – and I guess you have to rescue Snape.�

Parvati pulled the chair around, and sat on it backwards, with her arms on the back of the chair. “Dumbledore thinks Snape has vital information – if he is still able to use his head, which is dubious at best from the look of him. We have to get him out fast, as Voldemort is going to feed him to the griffins with the other beasts tonight at eight. He has also tripled the guard on his cell.� She waited for Draco to ask how she had gained the information, but he was silent, thinking, his face in its familiar scowl.

At last he offered, “There seems to be a waterway under the castle. I saw a broken raft, and there is a trapdoor leading down to it, but I couldn’t see all the way along the tunnel. I don’t know if it is safe, or if it is tidal. I wouldn’t want us to drown. The only thing would be getting Snape down there, as we would have to pass guards, and that means a battle, as it is impossible to get up and downstairs without bumping into somebody – I had to climb the walls, and there is no way the three of us could do that with Snape in the condition you say he is. And we’d have to get him out in the first place, which will be impossible now that he is guarded so securely.�

Lilah shut her eyes and clicked her tongue – obviously a habit that induced thought. She opened her eyes again. “I was trying to tame one of the griffins enough to carry him off alive. They usually kill their victims, and carry them out of the arena to eat in the forests before coming back to roost at night.�

Draco and Parvati looked blank, so she explained. “I came in on an undercover assignment to rescue Snape. Martin was supposed to contact me, but if he didn’t, I was to abort. Well, he probably thinks I have aborted, as I am MIA so to speak. I was recruited, through Martin, as an Assistant Griffin Keeper. The griffins are Voldemort’s answer to the Hippogriffs, which he is sure are to be used in battle. My duty was to try to tame a griffin enough to pick Snape up, and carry him off alive, so that we could doctor him when he was away far enough, and Apparate in stages from the forest to a safe place. We can’t Apparate here in the castle at all. Voldemort likes being able to keep track of people too much.�

Draco looked up. “So aren’t the griffins going to work?� he asked. “You seem reluctant to use that plan. It sounds good to me – they will never suspect we are taking off under his very nose so to speak. He would be much more likely to think we were going to try to invade the cell.

Lilah sighed. “Martin was going to bring me an invisibility cloak so that I could sit on the lead griffin, so that we got to Snape first. The head griffin keeper is a dodgy character, and I am not sure if he even knows how many griffins we have, or what they eat when they aren’t fed prisoners. The problem is that the griffins sometimes fight over their food, so I couldn’t be sure Snape would be safe.

They are also unpredictable, so the griffin might just decide Snape was a snack anyway. Charms aren’t very useful if the beast you are riding decides to take a bite of something. I think that is why Voldemort feels so secure feeding the prisoners to them. He knows none of the prisoners will escape. Actually, it is difficult to keep the griffins from eating the keepers! I have been attacked before now. I don’t think they will be very useful in a battle, but then Voldemort wouldn’t mind too much if the griffins eat his followers.� She added bitterly, “He would probably think it funny.�

“I could be a griffin,� said Parvati timidly, after a while, as none of them were coming up with any ideas.

Draco glanced over at Parvati. “Do griffins come in black?� he asked.

Lilah and Parvati laughed at the same time. “Yes of course!� answered Parvati. “There are no more golden griffins in Europe – they were too visible to Muggle hunters, and were wiped out a long time ago. You only find them in desert areas now. Black Griffins are mostly nocturnal, so they are safe here. They are very hard to spot. Those that are, find themselves on Muggle News posted as UFO sightings.�

Draco met Parvati’s eyes, but spoke to Lilah. “Parvati could be a griffin. With you in the invisibility cloak riding her. She could even pretend to finish Snape off before she carries him away – but I don’t want her getting hurt if she is attacked by any of the others. If you thought you could ride her and hold them off at the same time that would work. Then I could try the underground escape way, and meet up with you outside afterwards.�

Parvati checked her watch, and handed Lilah the flask of Anti-Screening Potion. “Better take another swig, and so shall I. We will need to be invisible for a while yet. We can give the bottle to Draco when we leave.�

Draco raised his eyebrows at her, but she was right. Time was pressing, and they needed to refine the details of their plan. They had no time to make another. Draco would need to be up and around soon. Lilah, who was better at cleaning charms than the others, mended and pressed his clothes and shoes so that they looked as they had before he had been climbing walls, as she talked.

Parvati made more coffee in the muggle fashion. It struck her that Draco had really accepted her. He had not sneered once, and his manner was far more natural. She could have wished for more romantic behaviour from him, especially after he had just told her he loved her, but she was trying hard to be sensible. After all, he had just lost his mother, found his half-sister (and whatever he said, she had to be related, looking so exactly like him), lost a friend, undergone the Cruciatus Curse twice, and fought a battle with a giant snake. And Lilah was with them. And she had just lost her husband. Added to which they were in a situation of extreme danger, and had an escape plan to formulate. She gave out the coffee, as Draco showered in the bathroom.

Actually Parvati was a little nervous. Lilah seemed to think she could keep Parvati in the front, but what if one of the other griffins saw Snape first before she could snatch him out of harms’ way?

And she had seen, not a griffin itself, but pictures of them in her Care of Magical Creatures handbook, and their beaks looked very sharp and strong. She really didn’t want to be pecked, although if it meant keeping Snape alive, she guessed she could do it. And it was all very well for Lilah and Draco to talk glibly about her flying off with Lilah in the invisibility cloak on her back, and Snape dangling from her talons, but did they know how difficult that was going to be? Especially taking off? Snape would have been bad enough.

Parvati was glad that she regularly worked out with weights. Her ambition had been slenderness rather than strength, but she was quite strong. It all depended on how much room she had for take off. She had to make it look natural. She knew from once catching a rabbit as an eagle (mostly by a sheer fluke) that it was going to be insanely heavy.

Oh well. If she had known it was to come to this, she would have built up the necessary muscle, and downed protein shakes, but she hadn’t. It didn’t sound as if they had much choice. She needed Lilah with her, and they had to rescue Snape. It was a desperate effort.

Lilah had stopped talking and was holding her hand pressed to her mouth. Parvati felt a rush of sympathy, and flung herself down next to Lilah, putting her arm around the other girl. Lilah may act tough, but she was torn to pieces inside. What she really needed was to be able to grieve. Lilah didn’t say anything, but put her head into the crook of Parvati’s neck, and stayed like that for a while.

It was how Draco found them when he emerged from the shower, only a pinkish mark showing on his arm where he had been burned. Parvati looked at him. He was naked, but for a towel around his waist, and she had never seen anything so completely masculine. She had to swallow hard, but all her baser instincts leapt to attention. Other people may have thought him a trifle thin, his skin too white, his shoulders perhaps too round and his torso perhaps too long.

Parvati thought him perfect. She watched the muscle on his belly, and a slow ache started in her own. He was looking at Lilah however, with concern, and had not noticed her obvious reaction. Parvati caught hold of herself, and mouthed over the top of Lilah’s head, “Peter.�

Draco leaned down, and stroked his sister’s head awkwardly. It seemed rather a role reversal to him. Lilah had always been the one to comfort him when he was little, and now it was the other way around. He was thankful for Parvati. If she had not been here, he would have been more clumsy and awkward.

He picked up his clothes and retreated to the bathroom, Parvati watching the muscles in his back. He was really very gorgeous. And he was hers.

Lilah sniffed. “I guess we can’t all take showers. They’ll wonder where all the water is going.� Parvati smiled absently.

“The ranker we are the better. We will smell more like one of the pack when we join the griffins.�

Lilah sat up and looked at her. She had not been crying, her eyes were dry, but her nose was running a little – the closest she had come to crying. “There was an article about you in the Daily Prophet a long time ago,� she said slowly. “I only just remembered.�

Parvati nodded. “Yes. I can do any animal, but everything is black.�

Lilah nodded, and laughed. “I remember! They said you lost the ability after you reached puberty.�

Parvati snorted. “No! I told them that I couldn’t do anything after they Stunned me about nine times when I was a Norwegian Ridgeback. They believed me.�

Lilah sighed. “I wish I had that ability,� she said. “I would love to go flying without a broom. I love my broom though – Peter got me a Firebolt II as soon as they came out. It used practically all his savings.� She bit her lip.

Parvati nodded. “You don’t know how useful it is. I don’t like flying a broom much.�

Draco appeared out of the shower again, smelling fresh and bright. The girls glared at him, and he shrugged, grinning (Parvati noticed that he could almost grin naturally now) “Sorry girls! Guess you get yours this evening! Don’t worry Lilah, you have the invisibility cloak, and Parvati, couldn’t you just preen or something? I could run some water into the sink, and you could just splash around and have a bird bath!�

Parvati gave him a glare that had him smirking again. Lilah stood up. “Well, I am going to use the sink to splash in. And I’ll wash the coffee mugs while I am at it. Give you two a chance for some private time.� She went out, and Draco immediately moved over to Parvati, making her heart sing. She hadn’t realized quite how anxious she had been. He drew her into his arms, and held her.

“You went out last night, didn’t you?� he asked. “I thought I told you to stay put with Lilah?� Parvati bristled a little, but told him her story, glorying in his look of pride in her. Draco was forced to admit that she had been right, and he was glad she had eaten. Lilah hadn’t eaten yesterday, and it didn’t look as if she was going to be able to eat today either. Parvati shrugged.

“We’ll pretend we’re dieting,� she told him. “But I am not prepared to starve completely!� she pulled his head down to hers, feeling the quiver that ran through her whole body as his lips touched hers. Draco felt it too, and she felt his lips quirk against hers, into a gratified smirk, while his hands ran possessively down her back. He was quick though. He kept an eye on the bathroom door, and held Parvati’s hands. Parvati was fascinated to see that his face was rather red. She had never before seen Draco blush – if she had been asked, she would have said it was impossible.

“You know this is dangerous Parvati. I am pretty sure it will work, and then I can follow you out, but if anything happens, well, I would like you to have this.� His face was red, and he was obviously finding this hard. He held out a ring. “This was my mother’s engagement ring. Oh –“ he looked horrified, his face redder than ever, as she looked up at him, shocked. “I’m not asking you to marry me! Not yet at any rate. But yes, I do love you, and even if we decide to break up, or never see each other again, I would like you to keep this ring. If we ever do get engaged, you can choose whether you would like that, or another ring. I don’t have anything else I can give you, and I would like you to have something in case – well, in case anything happens. You mean a lot to me.�

Parvati felt a lump in her throat. The ring was so beautiful, and Draco so serious and sincere. She slipped the ring onto her middle finger, and turned it around. It was lovely, fit perfectly, and warmed her from her finger onwards. Even more wonderful was the fact Draco wanted her to have it. All her fears were put to rest. If he gave her his mother’s ring, it really meant he cared for her. She didn’t have to worry about romantic eye contact and the fact that he hadn’t kissed her in front of Lilah. She couldn’t speak at first, so she reached up to kiss him again. “It is simply beautiful Draco. Thank you.�

Lilah seemed to have been listening in the bathroom, because now she came out, giving Draco a withering glance as he sprang away from Parvati. “I have seen people kissing before, you know!� she told him. Parvati watched Draco’s face start to look sulky, and loved him the more as he stood looking awkward. She could tell it felt weird to him in front of Lilah, and she wasn’t going to push him. She smiled at Lilah instead.

“I guess Draco and I will be going, and I will meet you sometime in the afternoon.�

Lilah was going to stay while Parvati and Draco went to the Great Hall again. Parvati would then flap out some time during the afternoon, and meet Lilah, who would take her to see the griffins. After they had escaped with Snape, Draco would try and confuse the hunt that followed if at all possible. He would escape later, when the furor died down.

Parvati leant forward herself and kissed Draco again, disregarding Lilah, and then became a raven, and flapped onto his shoulder. Draco took a deep breath, feeling sick again. “Good luck!� he told Lilah. “If I don’t see you before, I will see you outside.� She pulled him into an awkward embrace, and stepped back.

“Look after yourself!� Lilah told him, and vanished into the bathroom so she would be out of sight when he opened the door. Once he had closed it behind him, she picked up the invisibility cloak and put it on. With Draco and Parvati there she had been able to hold up.

Now, she held Peter’s wedding ring, and curled up into a fetal position on the bed, a pillow clasped to her chest. All she had to endure now was the visit from the house elves. They certainly wouldn’t mind her being here in her invisibility cloak – theirs was not to reason why, they would just assume it her own business. None of them showed any loyalty to any of the Death Eaters, she rather thought that the castle had been taken over, and its lawful occupants slain. It was difficult to force a house elf to work against its will, but Voldemort was a very skilled wizard, and would use any means to get what he wanted. Lilah could probably have asked for food perfectly safely, but she was not hungry. Perhaps Parvati would like something when she got back.

Draco joined the queue of Death Eaters for breakfast, while Parvati flew straight to the perches in the audience chamber, which were more comfortable, to see if there were any seeds she could snack on. She had to keep up her strength, and seeds were better than nothing. Draco had nearly fainted when she told him of her soup expedition, and forbidden her to join him. After all, the general success of the expedition depended on her not getting caught now. She hoped she would manage to get something later on. One bowl of soup wasn’t very sustaining when you were thinking of power-flying!

Draco sat down to his fried eggs, black pudding, bacon, fried tomatoes, mound of buttery mushrooms, baked beans and toast with a slightly guilty feeling. People would have noticed if he had brought his raven in with him to the table though. Nobody else had owls there – the owls were all shivering in the draught by the door on the perches.

The sick feeling that he knew was cowardice had not left him, but it did not affect his hunger. He ate with appetite; the food was much better than it had been the night before. There was a choice between cider and heated spiced pumpkin juice, and tea and coffee. Draco was relieved. He hated pumpkin juice, and that seemed to be all they served at Hogwarts. He opted for the coffee again, although it struck him as odd that Voldemort had adopted some Muggle fashions since he was supposed to be so anti-Muggle. However, confusingly, Voldemort himself was half Muggle.

Gradually Draco began to feel slightly more human. He still felt a tremendous sense of loss, but he had relegated that to the back of his mind. Now he needed to be totally focused.

Goyle came in when he was halfway through his meal, and joined him at the table. He filled Draco in on what had happened that night. “People winking in and out all over the map. You Know Who got pretty steamed about it. Crabbe was out all night delivering messages.� Draco tried to look surprised.

“I slept right through everything. I guess I missed out on some fun! Does anyone know what made the map act up?�

Goyle shook his head. “Crabbe said he was standing in front of the Dark Lord, and he didn’t show up. You Know Who reckoned it might have something to do with you, but Crabbe went into your room and saw you asleep. Now they think it is something to do with that assistant griffin keeper that went missing. Apparently she was an auror that You Know Who was allowing to run tame around the castle.�

Draco managed to look disgruntled, inwardly he was thinking ‘Uh oh! He is suspicious of me. Not that he can pin anything on me…yet.’ He said, “Crabbe saw me asleep? Why didn’t he wake me? I would have liked to have been part of it.�

Goyle looked at him sideways. “Aren’t you scared of the Dark Lord?� he asked, wonderingly. Draco shrugged magnificently.

“As we all are, who are in our right minds, but why am I here, if not to serve him?� For a second Goyle looked as if he might answer, but he thought better of it, and managed to cram a whole roll, laden with butter, and strawberry jam into his mouth in one go, without getting any on his face. Draco didn’t know whether to be revolted, or applaud.

He turned his head away, and looked around the room. “Did you see my father at all?�

Goyle grinned, nodding, and spoke around the roll, “Heshgob losh og arningth�

Draco nodded, being able, from lengthy close association with Goyle to decipher his sentences. It was rare for Goyle not to be eating. So his father had been called to account too, yesterday. Well, Voldemort seemed very fond of browbeating his staff. He remembered something Hermione said once about house elves, and leaned forward.

“Tell me Goyle, are there good benefits here? Health plans?�

Goyle looked at Draco bug eyed over his next mouthful, which seemed to include half a small cow, and shook his head uncomprehendingly.

Draco leant back in his chair. So Voldemort controlled only by fear and anger. How, then, had he gained so many followers? You were desperate to be one, he reminded himself. Yes, he had seen himself as a gallant and dashing Death Eater, a masked hero in black, clearing away infestations of Muggles, so that Wizardry could be practiced in public, without fear of reprisals.

It was difficult really, two different peoples sharing a land, especially when one of the peoples was unaware that they were. But then how could one be wiped out? It boiled down to civil war really. Draco had come to realize that pure bloodlines were very few and far between. Even his family had a Muggle! And Lilah had chosen a man who was half Muggle. He guessed that she may even know her Muggle mother-in-law if she was still alive, which made her family. For all he knew, Lilah could be half Muggle. He hadn’t asked Parvati, but it was obvious that she too, had Muggles in the family – she was very versed in Mugglespeak, and had been to a Muggle primary school.

Far from being a sort of superior animal, as he had always been taught, Muggles were actually people.

Now he looked around, and studied the wizards around him. Nobody laughed, nobody was chatting in the way he remembered at Hogwarts. People ate their meals and left to do their duties in the most part silently, although the food was really quite excellent. There were many young people too. He had expected most of the Death Eaters to be older, like his father. He waited for Goyle to finish his meal, and then remembered from old that it was quite hopeless, and that he would probably be at the trough for a while, so he said, “See you later!� and went into the Audience Chamber on his own.

Voldemort was still sitting in his chair at the top. He was dressed differently, but showed no fatigue. Draco knew he had been up for the whole night. He was a little confused as to etiquette now, but after he had waited a second or two, wondering which group of Death Eaters to join, Voldemort beckoned him up to the platform. Draco, bowing his head, walked up to the platform. He did not want to go. He felt such a hatred of Voldemort that he hoped it wouldn’t show in his eyes. He was also scared, and hated admitting that. He really didn’t want to be tortured again. Twice was more than enough.

He bowed low, with murder warring with fear in his heart. “My Lord.�

Voldemort held out a map to him. “Can you explain this map to me?�

Draco looked at it, seemingly puzzled. Voldemort stared into his eyes, and Draco, quaking in his shoes, called on his Occlumency skills. After a few moments, Voldemort, who obviously had underestimated him, looked away, disgusted.

“Randy adolescents – you are all the same! Do you carry nothing worthwhile in your head? I ask you about a map and you see naked women.�

Draco did not pretend to blush, he was blushing, and he sincerely hoped Parvati had not heard Voldemort. He had not really expected Voldemort to describe his thoughts out loud.

Voldemort had not finished. “The map, from which you disappeared.�

Draco took the map doubtfully. “Perhaps there is something wrong with the map, Your Excellency?� he suggested. “I am not showing now, and I should be standing in front of you.�

Voldemort narrowed his eyes and hissed. “Don’t treat me as if I am an idiot, boy! We will see how you feel after your father has dealt with you. Don’t think I am going to protect you this time.�

Draco bowed low, cringing as best he could. In fact, he didn’t really have to pretend too much – he was terrified Voldemort was going to use another curse on him. As he bowed, a Death Eater ran up, out of breath, and flung himself onto the floor, nose down in front of Voldemort.

“Your Excellency, we have been unable to locate Nagini, but we found two guards in the Tombs who have been killed by her poison.� He was obviously hoping that Voldemort would be satisfied with this news – Draco could smell the fear on him from where he stayed dipped into his own bow, too wise to get up before he had been dismissed. He hoped he hadn’t tensed at all at the news.

Voldemort threw his head back into a thin laugh, which had sweat running in icy rivulets down Draco’s shoulder blades, and a shiver over his flesh.

“She is probably feasting then. Inform me when she returns.�

He turned back to Draco.

“You may go, young man, but remain within call, should I need you. This evening we have a treat planned, after which you will take your Mark.�

Draco’s voice trembled as he said, “It will be my pleasure to serve you, Master. I am not worthy of such an honor. You overwhelm me.�

He backed down the stairs and mingled with the other Death Eaters, breathing more quickly now, and feeling that he had run a particularly dangerous race. Parvati seemed to be eyeing him beadily, and he was sure she had heard the remark that Voldemort made about naked women. His problem was that he had tried to hide some things from Voldemort behind others. Having his mind completely blank would be suspicious, and Voldemort would know he was practicing Occlumency if he had hidden all his sordid, embarrassing or mortified thoughts. He had been thinking a lot about Parvati recently, so Voldemort had probably been treated to either one or some of Draco’s fantasies about what Parvati would look like without her clothes.

During the morning, he became aware of the discomfort to which Voldemort subjected his followers. There were no seats, and although he was young, it was difficult standing without anything to look at or anywhere to go to and the stench of fear in his nose. The red pile of the carpet and garish yellow of the walls became harder to bear in the glare of the lights. The Death Eaters were subdued, not wishing to draw attention their way, in case Voldemort noticed them. Draco stood with Crabbe and Goyle, and they conversed in whispers some of the time, and stood around bored the rest of it.

A few people spoke to him (it was obviously because Draco had incurred Voldemort’s favour in some way, and so they were all trying to curry his). Draco was amazed to see people that he had known in passing at Hogwarts, from the years above him. Not all of them were Slytherins. There seemed to be a fairly even mix of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and slightly more Slytherins. It astounded him. He would have thought that the Gryffindors would all have followed Dumbledore. But then it did make sense. He remembered that the Sorting Hat had not checked allegiance as such, but various character traits.

Gryffindors were supposed to be brave, but then he supposed Voldemort needed bravery among his Death Eaters. And brave people were not always smart. Hufflepuffs were loyal, and Voldemort needed loyalty. In fact, now Draco thought about it, he was surprised that his father had not been Sorted to Hufflepuff as he was so loyal to Voldemort without any seeming reward. It did not show the famous Slytherin ambition. Ravenclaws were intellectuals, and it is very easy to trick an intellectual, if you are cunning.

They all talked to him of a free Wizarding world, and the subjugation of Muggles with fanatical determination – all in whispers. Draco found it very much along the lines of what he had been thinking at Hogwarts. In fact, a lot of it made very good sense. The wizarding world was not free at the moment. They had to lead secret lives, and not openly display themselves. Some other magical creatures such as hags, trolls and Dementors felt the same way, with probably some right too, although Draco did not want to see them as free as they would have liked. If he had not met Peter at the right moment, and if he had not found Parvati and then been reunited with Lilah again, Draco would have been persuaded. The arguments were very compelling. He was thankful for Dumbledore’s insistence that Parvati join him.

Every time he felt himself being swayed by an impassioned argument, (some of which he agreed with, such as being able to use your magic everywhere without worrying about Muggles, being able to use flying carpets for family outings without worrying about Muggle sightings and being able to broom in daylight) he felt Parvati’s eyes boring into the back of his head.

It reminded him of all the downsides to what was going on, such as the license to kill, and maim and plunder. It would be much better to find a way that both worlds were free to mix together, although Draco could not see a way that would ever happen. But who knew? One day, perhaps, there would be more wizards than Muggles, and then perhaps the Wizards ways would rule. Draco knew from his father that the birth rate of wizarding children being born to Muggle parents had dramatically increased in the last ten years.

Draco tried to remember names and numbers, giving little flicks of his wand now and then to aid and abet his memory, in true Auror style, but found the red carpet and glaring white lights tiring. He itched to go and do something – maybe borrow a broom and ride, but Crabbe told him that was discouraged. The more he saw the more Draco was amazed that once he had wanted this life. It was certainly not as he had imagined.

Crabbe told him in whispers that at other times it was different, but now Voldemort was angry at Lilah’s escape. Usually they were able to please themselves as they liked, so long as they stayed in the castle. There was drink and gaming for all, and food was plentiful, if not quite up to Hogwarts standards (breakfast was the best meal). There were no women as yet, but that had been promised them, when the next battles were fought. Prisoners were by now almost a weekly sport. They got to dispose of them personally, or they watched the griffins in the arena. The griffins were very popular. Hearing about the griffins made Draco glad that his mother and Peter were no longer prisoners. Avada Kedavra seemed a more humane ending.

Voldemort seemed tireless. He would call somebody up to his platform, and talk, sometimes with a secretary present, and sometimes without. The famous, or rather infamous Peter Pettigrew was in attendance today, with his silver hand. Draco saw that most of the people going up to see Voldemort were grizzled and scarred, in the manner of Professor Moody.

However battle scarred and terrible they might seem, Draco noticed that they were as terrified as any other Death Eater in the presence of Voldemort. There were also others, such as goblins and harpies. Once a Dementor glided through, which terrified all present and once a man who had a wolfish smile, and was obviously a decadent werewolf. Draco almost had to leave the room when the Dementor came. He had to cling on to his happiest thought, and found, when the Dementor left that he was sweating and felt ill –he could hardly stand upright. Luckily nobody seemed to notice – they were all in the same state. At one point, Draco saw Parvati flap off with one of the owls, and thought she had probably gone to find water.

Occasionally Voldemort would leave the room, and return a little later, but the Death Eaters remained in the Audience Chamber until two, when they began to filter out for luncheon. Crabbe, Goyle and Draco went out, Draco noticing that Parvati was back on her perch. He stared at her, silently wishing her the best of luck, and then, reluctantly left, knowing she would not be on her perch when he returned. She would be with Lilah and the griffins. He very much hoped it would not be the last time he saw her.

**************

Lilah had asked the house-elf who came, to bring some sandwiches. When Parvati flapped into the room, she was pleasantly surprised, and relieved. Lilah was amazed at the amount she ate – Parvati was so tiny and delicate looking. Lilah’s face showed none of the internal struggle that had taken place while Parvati and Draco had been gone. It was set and stern and she moved quietly around the room, preparing everything as Parvati told her the information she had gathered from various owls, which was crucial, and needed to get to Dumbledore as soon as possible.

As they looked around to make sure everything was as it should be, Parvati laid her wand down on the bed. It was the only thing she had to give Draco, and she would not be able to use it as a griffin.

Lilah and Parvati each took a last large dose of potion, and then knowing Draco still had some on his person, Lilah emptied a few drops of the rest into all the water urns they passed on the way to the griffin enclosure, to keep the map blinking a long as possible. Lilah dodged the many guards at the small door easily in a very experienced fashion, even in the sunlight, and set out, Parvati sitting crouched in her pocket in the form of a mouse.

However easy it had been for Lilah, Parvati noted, it would have been impossible to get Snape out that way in the condition he was in.

It was a walk across a field to reach the griffin arena, and it was calm and cool. Nobody was around, and it was strangely peaceful.

The griffins were in a pen that had been enchanted to look like a football stadium, and indeed, looked in actuality a bit like one. Where the football field would be, there was a grass perimeter, and sawdust center. The seating was tiered in the same way as a football fields, and the boards around the edge, which in a football field would hold advertising, were black and held the Dark Mark.

The top box was decorated in drapes of black, with the Dark Mark decorating the front. It was where Voldemort entertained his guests – the various high-ranking trolls and hags that he was persuading to join them in their ‘fight for freedom’. The audience enclosure was covered with wards to prevent the griffins from carrying away the audience.

The center was nicely set out, with a rock pile in the middle with caves and overhanging crags in case of rain and a couple of small trees and branches, where the griffins could roost if they wished. However the weather was nice, and the griffins lay dozing, basking in the sun. Occasionally one would get up and walk the circumference of the pen, (which had a dirt track through the grass where they paced) before going back to lie down. A few of them lay in groups, their eagles’ beaks on each other’s backs, wings folded. They were scruffy animals, with disordered wing feathers.

Parvati and Lilah sat on the bottom tier, and rested in the sun, while observing the griffins, which were slightlydifferent to normal griffins, having been specially bred by Death Eaters.

Lilah told Parvati that on stage nights, the griffins were enticed by the smell of blood to walk through a wire passage to a nearby field that was caged in. The passageway had several doors that were locked behind them. The prisoners were then pushed into the arena. Once everything was in place, the roof of the griffins’ cage came off, and they were trained to fly back into the arena to pick up the prisoners that they knew would be waiting for them. The griffins picked up their prisoners and flew away to eat in the nearby forest.

Some of the prisoners were armed with swords, to make them feel they had a bit of a chance, and to both prolong and enliven the proceedings for the spectators. It gave them false hope, but in the end the griffins were too many, and would always win.

Sometimes the prisoners were let in slowly, a few at a time to make it last longer. After the griffins had finished off the prisoners, Voldemort used the arena to give speeches – some he gave himself and then other invited dignitaries were asked to address the crowds. The griffins were all fitted with a homing device to prevent them leaving their home, to which they were all very attached, in the way of griffins.

Lilah and Parvati discussed flying angles. Voldemort would be sitting on the left side, in his raised chair, and Lilah would have to slide down Parvati’s flank and hang, so as not to be seen. When she was flying she would have to be very careful not to turn so that Lilah was visible to him.

Parvati’s heart dropped like a stone. She hadn’t thought of that. She would be carrying two people, and off balance. She swallowed, “That is going to make it very difficult to fly. I mean, I should be able to do it, but I will be very clumsy. It won’t look totally natural. I wish I could practice.�

Lilah looked a very worried. “I suppose I could try and ride one of the other griffins, but they aren’t very easy to direct, and none of them would know to keep me hidden from Voldemort. The other thing I could do is to hide somewhere and try and control them from where I was hidden.�

Parvati thought for a minute. “No. That won’t work. Voldemort will notice. If you are with me, griffins have a magical aura that may disguise most of what you are going to do. You wouldn’t be able to escape easily with the auditorium packed either. And I don’t fancy my chances if you leave me alone with the other griffins. They tend to gang up on outsiders, and then I would be toast. Besides, I may need help with Snape. I am not a healer. You are just going to have to be very still, and make sure I have a lot of room to take off.� She nodded toward a harness “Do you use that when you ride a griffin?�

Lilah sighed. “That was the idea. I am going to have to put it on you, so you will have to transform before the keeper comes back – it won’t show at all, I will just pull your feathers over it. Then I will tie myself to the harness so that I have both hands free to use my wand. I will leave a lot of bloodstains where Snape was, so that it looks as if you were quite savage with him. She held up a bottle with red liquid, and Parvati shuddered. “I am not going to ask where that came from.� She noticed as Lilah’s face hardened slightly, making her look very like Draco, as Lilah nodded.

“Far better not to ask!�

Parvati got up and shook herself. She had watched the griffins enough to know what to do. Most of it was instinct anyway, once the animal part of her took over. She was ready to transform when she started suddenly. Unexpected footsteps approached the hall, and she transformed immediately into a mouse instead.

A tall Death Eater entered, his hood thrown back, and his bright, rather vicious eyes darting around the hall. He saw the bottle of blood, but not Parvati, who was crouched under the bench, or Lilah, who had flung up the hood of the invisibility cloak, and he stepped forward, taking out his wand. Parvati heard Lilah hiss under her breath, and she slowly, so as not to make a sound, rose to her feet.

The tall man called “Lilah! Lilah Drake! I know you are here!� He began to look between the griffins, one by one, stepping forward silently, like a cat, his eyes skittering from side to side in his rather handsome face and his wand held before him. Parvati could not see Lilah, but her mouse ears heard what her human ears would not have. Lilah was behind the man - she was -!

A red gash appeared over his throat at the same time as his eyes bulged and his face contorted. He did not make a sound however, but crumpled into the dust. Parvati was promptly sick. She had never seen anyone die like that before, and the Avada Kedavra curse seemed humane in comparison. She had not seen properly either, when Narcissa and Peter died – there had been too many Death Eaters between her and them. She stood shaking, in shock, until Lilah called her.

“Parvati! I need you – we have to hide him. I am sorry, but you have to transform and give me a hand, I don't know the locomotor charm for a dead body. The keeper is due here in another half hour, and we have to get him hidden before then!� Parvati came out from under the bench, and transformed, standing on human legs that now felt shaky and weak, a sour taste in her mouth.

Lilah said “I suppose we could feed him to the griffins, but we want them all hungry for tonight,� and then she noticed Parvati’s grey face and heaving chest. “This is Martin,� she explained grimly. “The man who betrayed my husband and brought him in to be killed. Normally I would feel more upset about it. Besides, if he had not found and killed me, Voldemort would have had him executed.�

Parvati nodded weakly. It made more sense now, and part of her horror at Lilah fled, but she had never before had to deal with a dead body. The Parvati she knew giggled about boys, movies and clothes, and worked hard at school, enjoyed dancing, and gossiped a bit. She did not hide dead bodies.

Gasping, with a sour taste in her throat and trying not to let her stomach heave too much, she pulled the man with Lilah until he lay under the tiered seating at the back in the shadows. She threw up twice more anyway. One of her nails broke off in the dead man’s cloak, and she walked on legs that were not steady, but she managed not to faint. So long as he lay hidden until that night, they were safe. They pulled his cloak over him so that he lay black in the black shadows. Lilah Vanished the spilled blood and vomit with a flick of her wand and eliminated the tracks, while Parvati transformed into a griffin.

Immediately she knew the task was going to be even more difficult than she had thought. A griffin wasn’t as bad as a dragon (or maybe it was because she was older), but she was filled with angry thoughts, and had to fight her instinct to rear up and snap as Lilah moved towards her. She also found she could see Lilah perfectly, even through the invisibility cloak. Lilah didn’t notice anything, and put the harness on her. Parvati had to fight to control herself. She hated the harness! She hated the feel, and she hated being subdued by one of these puny humans. She felt her head buzzing with barely contained rage. Lilah, she chanted to herself through the griffin. The puny human was Lilah.

Parvati focused on the ring Draco had given her. It made her feel more human, but she still shuddered as Lilah pulled the girth of the harness tight. Automatically, her hackles and crest raised and she stamped her paws, now armed with lethal claws and lashed her tail. She could smell blood! She whipped her beak around to find the source, hissing. Lilah gave her a sharp tap on the beak. “Parvati! Are you in there?� She sounded a bit frightened now.

Parvati snaked her head, in what she hoped was a “yes�.

Lilah, although still looking rather worried, opened the enclosure, and Parvati bounced in furiously, hissing defiance at the other griffins that were alarmed at the entrance of the newcomer. Lilah had to fling Impedimenta charms around quickly, or Parvati would have been severely mauled. Griffins are territorial animals, and do not like invaders. Trusting Lilah, Parvati went to lie down on her own, a griffin slightly smaller than the others, better groomed, and more slender, if you were to look closely for differences. She fought with herself, focusing on remembering Draco and the way he had given her the ring. What she really wanted was to challenge the leader (also a female) for control of the pride. It was a while before she began to feel in control, and more like herself, although her hackles rose and her eyes glinted scarlet.

When the head keeper came in, the griffins crowded around, demanding food. Parvati joined them, protected by Lilah, but as Lilah had said, he didn’t notice her. He filled up the drinking water from outside the pen, and sat watching the griffins as they raged and screamed up at him. Parvati did not let herself join in too much, as she did not want to lose her fragile sense of control, but the keeper still didn’t notice. She found herself sympathizing with the griffins enormously. The head keeper was obviously not a man who cared much for animals.

*********

Draco’s afternoon had been deadly dull until past three, when his father arrived, and they had a conference with Voldemort, Crabbe and Goyle.

Voldemort, knowing the tension between the two Malfoys enjoyed the conference greatly. He wanted another raid on the ministry, which was starting to function again, and this time he wanted Draco involved. Draco was given a larger part in the proceedings than Lucius, and it was obvious that Voldemort was enjoying Lucius’s discomfort.

Lucius did not dare to protest outright, as he remembered his disciplining from the night before, but when his eyes met Draco's, Draco could feel the fury his father felt for him.

Draco himself listened to Voldemort’s instructions, rather horrified at how brilliantly the attacks were planned, using Muggles as a distraction. It was obvious that there would be severe repercussions.

Voldemort wanted several other attacks carried out at the same time too, but easier ones that involved just Muggles. Lucius was to be in charge of this. Death Eaters would attack areas in and around London, and systematically cause as much damage and mayhem as they could before leaving.

The list Draco was handed included places like Selfridges, Victoria Station, the M25, Gatwick, quite a few pubs, The Dog and Trumpet next to Liberties and Trafalgar Square. All these places had Apparition points. Voldemort intended traffic to be brought to a halt, the Muggles left alive to be terrified. The Ministry (or what was left of it), with all the diversions going on, having to modify memories and try to hide the open magic, would be left disabled. If he had really been going to lead the expedition, Draco would have an easy time of it.

Draco’s mouth felt dry. Thank Merlin he would be out of here. He did not like the idea of just going into public places and slaughtering people. It appealed to Lucius though - the gleam in his eyes was manic.

Draco kept his face rather sternly eager, as if feeling the weight of his responsibility. Crabbe and Goyle on the other hand, were looking eager without dissembling. It was a chance for them to go and do something, Draco saw.

They must be so bored by now, of standing in the Audience Chamber, frying their eyes, and bored with walking the halls with no television available. They were being given the chance to back Draco, in a great adventure that seemed reasonably safe and had the added possibility of reflected glory. Voldemort was making it clear that the attack on the Ministry was the real objective, and the diversions just that. Draco was being given the chance to win his spurs.

If it had been “flying� Muggles as they had at the World Quidditch Cup, Draco would probably have thought it a bit of a laugh at one time. Now even the memory of that sickened him. It could have been Peter and Lilah and their daughter up there. Death Eaters did not discriminate between Muggles and Muggle-born wizards, and Lilah, on her marriage to one, would have been as vulnerable as any Muggle to attacks.

These terrorist tactics were going to make hiding the wizarding world an appalling task, and worse, give the Muggles a totally biased idea of their world. Muggles had some formidable weapons themselves, and once the war was out in the open, anything could happen. It would be all very well using a wand instead of a bomb if you could be sure your hex would hit, but Draco saw Voldemort’s tactic was to lead the Muggles to destroy magical buildings.

There were sure to be wizards who had Muggle wives, husbands or parents on the Muggle side that could figure out how to attack unplottable buildings, and show the Muggles how, or do it themselves as revenge. And the Muggles had some terrible bombs. Dumbledore would be attacked on two flanks. The Death Eaters and the Muggles.

Even if he managed to keep some of the magical world hidden, it would make witches and wizards unpopular, and a medieval state of mind would occur again, with many witches and suspected witches being put to death. And it would probably not be burnings this time – there were too many wizards and witches connected to Muggles to tell them to use another method.

When Draco was dismissed he left knowing that he would probably never see his father again. He was not too upset. His father had chosen this life, as he would choose another. At one time he had hoped to be close to his father; now he realized it was impossible. His father would always find him wanting. Now Draco was even a rival.

Draco went back to his room to make sure the girls had left safely, and to catch a moment of peace before he joined Crabbe and Goyle again for the griffin feeding, and propaganda speeches.

As soon as he entered the room he saw the slim wand lying on his bed, and picked it up. Parvati had left it for him. Momentarily his mouth softened, and he closed his eyes remembering her face. He had told her he loved her, and he was glad. She may be giggly and flighty, but his Parvati was more than that. She was loyal and clever and brave and very honorable. Not a fit match for a Slytherin most would have thought, but very suited to him. He found her enchanting. And she liked him. In spite of everything he had done, and his cowardice (though he felt he was redeeming himself there) and his spiteful tongue.

He allowed himself to sit on the bed for a couple of minutes, daydreaming, and then he resolutely stood up, and put Parvati’s wand inside the lining of the invisibility cloak, seeing it disappear as he did so. He would keep it with him. He had his own wand, but this was something he knew Parvati loved, and so he would keep it near him as a kind of talisman. He already had his Anti-Screening Potion in another little invisible pocket that he had cut in the lining earlier. Now he was going to watch a griffin feeding. He thought black would be appropriate. All black.

He hoped he would be able to deal with the griffin feeding as he should. He was already feeling rather sick.

Goyle knocked on his door as he was fastening his sleek ponytail, which he wore with a thick black band. He checked himself in the mirror, rather surprised and not very pleased to see how like his father he looked, and then he strode out, cloak swirling around him (in a fashion unconsciously picked up from Snape) to meet Goyle.

Goyle was wearing a look of greedy anticipation that Draco found quite repulsive. He had always thought Crabbe and Goyle his friends. Now he knew that they would turn on him in an instant, like hyenas. They were ambitious, hoping to catch a ride upwards with him, as he looked likely to become one of Voldemort’s favourites – but their friendship would not include helping him in any way should he fall out of favour.

They strode down the corridor, that, usually empty, was now full of Death Eaters, all seemingly agog with anticipation. The talk sounded almost like Hogwarts before a Quidditch match. Draco and Goyle went to knock on Crabbe’s door, and he bounced out, his whole demeanor bubbly. Draco could only look at him amazed. Crabbe had never before shown this amount of animation. He was excited with a bloodlust that Draco found repulsive.

They elbowed their way through the throng (there were far more Death Eaters than Draco had previously supposed, even though he knew some of them had Apparated in specially for the event), and Goyle led them to the front, just behind Voldemort, where they had specially reserved seats – another sign of Voldemort’s favour.

Lucius Malfoy was sitting on Voldemort’s right, and Aunt Bella, who Draco remembered very well, was on his left. They exchanged polite smiles, but Draco saw that she already regarded him as a rival by the flash in her eye.

Dolohov and McNair were also there, and others, that Draco knew personally. Most of them turned to wave, or smile at him. Voldemort too, acknowledged him as he came to his seat, making sure Lucius was aware of the fact. Draco knew that if he stayed, Voldemort would ensure his loyalty by ranking him above his father.

Lucius was not in favour at the moment – it was his fault that he had a wife who betrayed the "Anti-Muggle Freedom Fighters". (Voldemort was trying to increase support by adopting a name. None of the giants or Dementors or trolls or hags wanted Muggles around. If Voldemort was going to get rid of Muggles they were all for it).

Draco was well aware from seeing the figures last night that it was already a numerous army, composed of very dangerous elements. The magical world was sick of obscurity and hiding. Draco could see their point, but was getting rid of Muggles the right way to go? And what was to happen should Voldemort win and start on them? He reckoned most creatures would think they had picked the wrong side.

The only real hope Draco could see at the moment was the tremendous disorganization in the ranks. Each set of magical creatures had their own agenda.

The Dementors were content to fight for Voldemort at present, but could not really be relied upon, and could turn on his followers as easily, if they wanted. The hags and trolls (some of whom were present in the crowd) were definitely waiting to see how things went before finally committing, and the werewolves were split, most wanting a peaceful life and some wanting to spill blood with impunity. What Death Eaters Voldemort had surrounded himself with seemed badly trained.

Draco scanned the crowd, trying not to worry. Parvati and Lilah would be safe.

At last a huge cheer rose up from the entrance, and the prisoners were brought in. Snape was walking, surprisingly. He must have had a restorative draught to get him this far. He was even armed with a sword, but Draco did not worry about Parvati; Snape could hardly lift the weapon. He was led to a raised platform of rock in the middle of the arena, which was huge, and hoisted up onto the top of it. He had trouble walking that far.

People were booing and hissing; getting into the performance as if it were a huge game. Prisoners were displayed to the crowd, who booed or cheered as they pleased. Draco was reminded vividly of Professor Binns and games he had described in the Roman times. Griffins were used in the arena then too.

Other prisoners were allowed to scatter around the arena as they liked, some choosing to hide vainly in the shadows offered by the rocky platform, some standing in groups, turning white faces in hope of seeing a salvation somewhere. Two rather large men stood stolidly back-to-back, each armed with a sword, their faces implacable. People cheered them, taunting.

The head jailer, who had escorted the prisoners in with his men, now left hurriedly with them. One guard, who had been checking his prisoner’s sword, got left behind as the door to the arena was shut, and he beat on it, sobbing in fright. Spectators and jailers alike jeered and laughed at him as the man hammered on the door begging to be let out.

Draco watched all this in horror. He had been so keen to take the Dark Mark. How could he have done so? Or why was his thinking so different now? Hearing about it, it had seemed so splendid and wonderful. Now it seemed shoddy and inhuman. Voldemort was again drinking a large frothing drink that looked red. It was whispered around that it was blood mixed with snake venom, but nobody knew whether this was myth or fact.

After a short while, people began to murmur, and point, as the sharpest eyes made out the black forms that were the griffins approaching. Draco could see one man in the row a little to his left pointing them out. He looked like a vampire, which would explain how he could see that well in the dark. Draco strained his eyes, but it was a few seconds more before he could see the griffins. There was one griffin in the lead, and that was surely Parvati. Draco found it difficult to breathe.

Parvati had admired the way Lilah slipped, armed only with a wand, and an invisibility cloak, (which the griffins could see through anyway) into the cage into which the griffins had been herded. Now she knew how the griffins truly felt about humans, she knew Lilah was very brave. Lilah walked over to Parvati, who felt her hackles rise at the nearness of a human, and bound herself to the harness with a rope, tying the rope around her waist. She had the bottle of blood with her, and it made Parvati feel angry again, and hungry. She felt a mindless wish to eat until she was sated. Visions of rare steak danced in front of her eyes. She wished very much she had not thrown up earlier – she might have been less hungry.

Now, as Lilah maneuvered herself so that she was safely attached to the harness on one side of her, she paced edgily, occasionally throwing her head back, and letting out her griffin frustration in a screaming roar. A few times she swiped at her side where Lilah was, jerking her head away at the last minute with a huge amount of control.

When the Head Keeper let the roof off the cage, she soared up with the other griffins, heavily at first, because Lilah was a weight attached to her, but faster and faster. With the part of her that could still think, she was relieved to note that all her flight training as a bird had paid off. She was able to fly better than she thought, but she was still labouring a little as she caught sight of the arena and started to glide down.

Not only was Lilah dragging her down on one side but she also had to wave her arms and wand a lot, which made it more difficult still. Lilah had her hands full keeping the other griffins back. Parvati thought it seemed quite hard – they were probably going slightly slower than the griffins normally liked to fly, as she had an extra passenger slowing her down and they resented being kept behind her.

In spite of her griffinness getting in the way, at the smell and sound of the terrified meals running around below her, Parvati managed to remember what Lilah had said about angles and landing, so that she would keep Lilah hidden. She landed on the platform, ungracefully, and almost falling on her beak, but since the other griffins were just behind her, it looked as if she had been pushed.

One other griffin landed on the platform in front of her, and Parvati, forgetting for a moment that she was human, reared, her crest raised, and spread her wings menacingly. She let out a vicious hawking cry, and lurched forward, snaking her head, her beak open, to scare the other griffin away. She almost lost Lilah, who was just trying to free her arm from the harness so that she could dispose of the bottle of blood around Snape, and shoo the other griffin away. The other griffin reared too, and challenged her. Parvati hissed and snaked her head, and Lilah tried to send the other griffin off with a stinging charm, but was unable to aim successfully, as Parvati was weaving so much. The other griffin darted forward, and Parvati found herself in a battle royal.

The griffin in her won. She had been so frustrated and furious for hours now that it was glorious to unleash her temper. She totally forgot Lilah, who cut herself loose at the last minute, falling heavily, and tried to dodge behind the fighting griffins out of the sight of Voldemort.

Lilah got out her wand, but it was impossible to help Parvati much, as she was whirling like a dervish, mixed up with the other griffin. It was all Lilah could do to keep any of the other griffins taking Snape, whilst keeping herself under cover. It was some time before Parvati successfully chased off the other griffin and her head, front leg and chest had been badly bitten and scored. Blood dripped into one eye and she also had deep wounds in her flank. She knew she had an open wound in her shoulder.

Vaguely she registered the approval and cheers from the crowd. The other griffins were fighting for their meals, and the scene below was very messy. The two men with swords were still valiantly back-to-back, and one griffin lay dead beside them, but their case was hopeless, as they were now battling five griffins, and another had shown an interest.

Parvati felt victorious. She raised her head and gave a challenging cry into the charged air around her. It gave Lilah a chance to run up and link her arm through the harness. Parvati screamed her rage, and turned to savage this inopportune human. Lilah, scared beyond belief, was forced to use a shielding charm, before Parvait came to her senses.

Parvati screamed out her griffin rage, swinging her head, and giving herself time to regain control. She then approached Snape, stiff legged, part of her rather glad that no other griffins had carried him off while she was fighting, and the other part wishing to pounce on him and feed herself. She was so hungry, and she could smell blood!

Snape had been given a sword! Somehow, although beyond his strength, he managed to raise it, his face a sort of pallid white-green as he saw Parvati approaching.

She reared furiously once again, Lilah clinging on by her hands and nearly wrenching some feathers out. Parvati lashed her tail, and feinted. Snape swung the sword, and went with it, falling heavily to the ground. The crowd roared with laughter. Parvati forced herself to keep under control, and pounced, but he rolled quickly over, and off the ledge.

Parvati was forced to pounce once again, down from the rock and really knock him over this time. She held him down with her bloodied front leg, and screamed her triumph to the skies, lashing her tail angrily at the effort not to stab him with her claws.

Lilah sprinkled blood around from the bottle, under cover of Parvati’s legs, staining Parvati’s resolution even more as she did so and then twisted her arm and leg through the harness, so that she was once again lying under Parvati’s wing. She had no time to secure herself.

Parvati leaned forward carefully and grasped Snape in her talons, forcing a couple of them through the cloth of his cloak to give her added hold. Snape smelled delicious, and Parvati had to force herself not to take a bite, as she felt saliva pool in her mouth. She felt the weight of both her passengers, and rearing up on her hind legs, made a lumbering start into the air.

For a heart straining second she could not get airborne, and almost fell. If she had been taking off from the platform, she would have had less trouble, but as it was, she had drawn attention to herself. A gasp ran around the crowd.

Parvati made a supreme effort – she wanted to turn, and spiral upwards slowly, which would have been the natural thing to do, but she couldn’t without exposing Lilah to Voldemort’s eyes.

The jerk had loosened Lilah’s leg, and she swung from Parvati’s harness by one arm, but there was no time to lose. Hoping that Lilah would be able to hang on, she flapped frantically. Her anger as a griffin helped her here, as her heart felt as if it was bursting, and her wings strained painfully. Her spine felt as if it were going to crack with the effort of lifting the weights. She breathed in painful bursts through her open beak, searing her throat. At the last minute, she managed to throw her front legs up and lift Snape, but her hind legs rapped painfully on the roof over the top stands, as she nearly didn’t clear the arena.

Lilah nearly fell, but struggling, (which unbalanced Parvati even more) managed to get a leg through the harness. Quite a few people were standing watching now, and one of the other griffins had been attracted, noticing her clumsy flight. He started after her, determined to wrestle her dinner away from her. Lilah held off as long as she could before repulsing him, but they were still in sight, when the other griffin suddenly turned and went back to the ground.

Voldemort was standing himself now, looking after Parvati piercingly, and suddenly, he took out his wand. A flash of green streaked toward her.

****************

Draco saw Parvati land, and immediately knew what the trouble was. He knew Lilah was weighing her down too much. His heart in his mouth, he watched her hiss at the other griffin, and then get into what looked like a savage and deadly fight. The crowd loved it. They had not seen a real fight between griffins before, just scuffles, and so this was extra, unexpected entertainment.

Parvati was moving clumsily, not weaving and snaking as much as the other griffin, but Draco knew that was because she was trying to protect Lilah. Why in Merlin’s name was Lilah not driving the griffin off? Draco sat in agony, and watched, as Parvati was bitten and bloodied, while he was not able to help her. She was covered in blood when it was over.

He leaned forward, tense, as he saw her feint at Snape, looking very savage and not at all like his Parvati. He watched Snape roll off the platform, and groaned. Everything was going wrong.

He knew this would make it harder for her to take off, and her injuries would have made it harder still. His heart in his mouth, he saw her pounce onto Snape, seemingly tearing at him with her beak, and then heard the crowd react as she nearly didn’t make lift off. He saw the tremendous effort she made, and heard the hard thud, as her hindquarters hit the roof.

Voldemort had noticed, and stood staring after her, his already narrow eyes narrowed further. Suddenly, he raised his wand, and murmured a curse. Draco didn’t even think. His own wand was out, and he had shot off his own spell. Breathlessly he watched, unaware that people had turned to watch him. The last thing he saw before amazing pain seemed to wrench him asunder was the curses collide in midair, and start to break up, like a good display of Filibusters.

****************

Parvati saw the curse, and the firework display behind her, and put all her effort into speed. Lilah gave her a few moments of difficulty, as she moved onto Parvati’s back, interfering with her wing, but once she was there, it was much easier. Fright made it easier still.

Parvati could see brooms lifting off behind her, and she shot forward into cloud cover, as fast as she could. Lilah performed a shielding charm which would help prevent them from being found, and then lay forward on Parvati’s neck to let her become as streamlined as possible. Parvati flew on, her wings, ribs and back aching, and her breath still coming in gasps, pushing herself as fast as she could possibly go until she reckoned they had gone about five miles or more, and they were well over where she judged the wooded copse to be where Ron had set up the reconnaissance post. She also smelled water.

She shot out from the cloud cover, glad that she was black and that Lilah was invisible. A Death Eater could be seen silhouetted against a cloud, but before he could give the alarm, Lilah had him in the body bind. Parvati tried not to watch as he plummeted down toward the forest helplessly, toward his death.

Parvati herself floated on wings as soft as powder, down through the trees, and then to the ground, where she deposited Snape as quietly and gently as she could. Lilah slipped from the harness, cutting the rope that had tied her with her knife. Parvati stood, her whole body aching, her breath coming in pants, slicked in sweat, her legs splayed, the injured one off the ground, too tired even to transform.

Lilah threw back the hood of the invisibility cloak, and ran to check Snape. He had relapsed into unconsciousness, which was probably just as well. Lilah looked over at Parvati, and said, “Where are we?� Then she noticed Parvati’s condition for the first time.

“Water. You need water!� She looked around her, listening intently. Over the sounds of Parvati’s laboured breathing, she heard water. It was coming from not so far away. She pulled at Parvati’s head. “You need to transform, and get some water. There is water down the hill. I can’t get you there - you are too large.�

Parvati nodded, and made a supreme effort to transform. Her robes stuck to her, and she could feel her plait, thick and heavy and wet with sweat against her blood and sweat stained neck. Her shoulder and face ached and stung with the long wounds and there were tears all the way down the front of her robes, that were soaked with blood.

She felt very peculiar, and she lurched down to where Lilah had pointed. She drank until she could drink no more, and then made her way unsteadily back to Lilah, who was waiting with Snape. Parvati held out her scarf, which she had soaked in the river, and collapsed on the ground beside Snape. Lilah wrung the scarf out over Snape’s face.

She looked over at Parvati. “You should have told us it was going to be that difficult to fly.�

Parvati, who was still feeling a bit griffinish, with weepy tired Parvati mixed in, snarled. “We didn’t have much choice, did we? And I did it. I thought we would be able to take off from the rock, but Snape didn’t really cooperate did he? And you were supposed to keep the other griffins away from me. It is kind of difficult to fly your best with a long gash in your shoulder by your wing when you can’t fly in a circle to gain height.�

Lilah said nothing. She got out her wand, and started tending to Snape’s different wounds, while Parvati watched. She could see the Death Eaters occasionally, as they circled above, but she did not really notice them. She was crying inside. Why had it turned out so badly? Why had they come at all? Draco was probably dead.

At last Parvati got to her feet again. She was stiff and sore as she could ever be, but it was probably better to keep moving.

“If you can get Snape up, I can manage a stag for a while. I know where we are going, and the Death Eaters see me, all they will see is a forest animal. They won’t notice Snape from this height. You will have to walk beside to keep him on my back, and use your invisibility cloak, or at least put the hood on – your hair is very visible.� She licked a tear off her nose as she spoke.

Lilah nodded, taking off her cloak, and turning it around so that the black side was visible. She put it back on. Parvati transformed, and Lilah, with a great deal of effort, managed to get Snape onto Parvati’s back. Parvati could only bend her already unsteady legs so far, and Snape, though he had lost a lot of weight, was still heavy, and Lilah’s shoulder ached from when she had been thrown to the ground as Parvati started her fight.

It was only a short distance to food and lodging, but Parvati was already wondering if any owl they sent out would be intercepted. If only it were possible to Apparate to Hogwarts! Lilah could Apparate to Grimauld Place though, and get Professor Lupin to help. (Here she caught her foot in a branch, and nearly fell. Snape lurched on her back, but did not awaken.)

It was only a mile further, but Parvati was spent, so the short distance took them a while to achieve. Snape lay across Parvati’s back the whole time unmoving. Parvati began to wonder if he was dead.

The wards on Ron’s reconnaissance post were still intact, and she spoke the password. It was warm inside, and lighted. There was food in packages in a charmed cooler, and wood for the smokeless fire along the shelves.

A soft bed stood in one corner, and another by the stove. An owl sat on a perch in a homely kind of way, chuntering softly as they entered.

Parvati and Lilah rolled Snape into the bed by the stove. He smelled indescribable, so Lilah started to clean him up a little.

Parvati fetched a small amount of hot water in a bowl from the tiny bathroom, and began to sponge his face. She knew Lilah wasn’t speaking to her, because of Draco. But it had not been her fault. She hadn’t meant to call attention to herself. She had tried as hard as she could, but she hadn’t been quite able to remain anonymous in the end. Tears dripped down her nose, in a tired fashion, and she did not bother to wipe them away.

She did not see what else they could have done. She had needed Lilah there with her, to help with the other griffins. She knew well enough that they would have torn her to pieces as a stranger, if Lilah had not been there. Nor would she have been able to pick up Snape – one of the other griffins would have got to him first. And she had done everything she could not to think like a griffin.

And Lilah may be hurting, but so was she. She missed Draco like a raw ache. She knew what the firework display had meant. Draco would be lucky if he were still alive.

The worst of it was that until Lilah had Apparated, there was nothing she could do about it. Neither she nor Draco knew how to Apparate themselves. She also needed to eat, and sleep, or she was not going to be much use to anyone. She refused to believe that there was no point in going back.

She looked up, her mind made up. “Lilah – you need to Apparate or Floo to Grimauld Place, and see Professor Lupin. He can come and help you. I have to go back. I will catch some sleep and eat and set off as soon as you have Snape out of here. He needs a healer.�

Lilah sighed heavily, and leaned forward to take Parvati’s hand.

“Do you think you are the only one who wants to go back? Parvati, you had better face it, Draco is not alive. He let off a curse to foil Voldemort while surrounded by several thousand Death Eaters. He won’t be alive now. I’m sorry if I have seemed quiet. It wasn’t your fault; you tried your best. I wasn’t blaming you when I said you should have told us how difficult it was going to be. Neither Draco nor I thought how hard it was going to be for you. I was just worried about you when I saw how completely exhausted you were. I just can’t even feel any more. With Peter gone, and then Draco…� Her voice trailed away.

Parvati was more stubborn, but did not say anything. Let Lilah say what she would, Parvati was going back. There was silence, and then Lilah said wearily.

“You need to take a shower and let me tend to your cuts. I think most of them are superficial from what I see, but that one on your shoulder and the one over your eye are really nasty.

Professor Snape is no worse than he was, in fact he is clean now, and sleep will heal him, so I don’t think waiting until tomorrow and having a good night’s sleep is going to ruin anything. I can’t Apparate right now; I would splinch myself.

I am going to try to feed Snape some of this soup. He looks emaciated. Why don’t you go and have your shower? I will send the owl to Dumbledore meanwhile.�

The hot water did a lot for Parvati’s aches and pains, even though it stung at first. Parvati stood under the water for a long while, letting her tears flow freely. She could not believe Draco was dead. Was that because she felt something inside her, or was it because she was hoping too much?

Parvati was not as gifted as Padma, but she truly wanted to believe that what she felt was not wishful thinking. Draco was alive there somewhere. She knew it. She had to go back. As soon as Lilah and Professor Snape were gone, she would go back.

Once she had showered and washed her hair, which had been stiff with sweat, she wrapped herself in a towel, and went out to let Lilah clean her up as much as possible. Lilah was rather horrified at the amount of wounds she had sustained, and very worried about the one on her shoulder, and the one crossing her beautiful face, but assured Parvati that she would not have deep scars over her breasts as she had feared, although she would certainly carry some on her hips and thighs.

She used a cleaning charm on Parvati’s clothes for her, and helped her put them on. Then Lilah went for her shower, while before she forgot Parvati sat down and wrote out down everything she had heard from the owls at Voldemort’s stronghold. She folded the paper up, and curled it around Lilah’s wand. Then she transformed. She was not going to sleep on the floor, Lilah had every right to a bed as well as her, and she could sleep comfortably anywhere. She became a cat, and leapt up to sleep on Snape’s legs, curled up warm and snug on the soft down quilt. At least that way, they could both sleep - she would wake at once if he stirred.

Lilah did not sleep long, and was up before Parvati. Parvati was woken by the smell of eggs cooking, and woke up with a start. Lilah had scrambled eggs, fragrant Earl Grey tea, and slices of hot buttered toast ready for her. She was reading the directions for Apparating to Grimmauld Place, which she had found in the cutlery drawer as she ate a slice of bacon and stirred the eggs.

As Parvati watched, she opened the oven, and took out a pan of nicely browned sausages. The aroma was magnificent. Snape woke with a jump, and Parvati, suddenly realizing where she was, leapt off his legs in horror and onto the floor, transforming as she did so. Oh, but she was STIFF! She started yowling in cat form, and ended up making a most peculiar sound as a human, as she landed on all fours. Snape stared, disbelieving.

Lilah moved over to him, and propped up the pillows under him. Snape moaned himself, as his stiff muscles complained, and then looked around.

“This must be another Death Eater trick,� he said acidly in a hoarse voice, taking note of the pillows, and soft duvet. Parvati thought he sounded strong for someone who looked emaciated, had dry cracked lips, and had been in a swoon for a long time.

Lilah ladled out some plates of food. “When we have finished, I am going to Apparate, and go to Grimmauld Place,� she told him. “I would just do a Portkey and take you with me, but I want to make sure that it is still a safe place. There have been a lot of Death Eater attacks recently.� Snape stared at her as if she were a ghost.

“You must be a Malfoy,� he drawled painfully. His eyes widened slowly, “And Parvati Patil?� He closed his eyes. “I am in a nightmare,� he said quite firmly. “This is not Voldemort – he doesn’t have a sense of humour this sick and twisted.�

Fascinated, Parvati noticed that Lilah seemed to be able to deal with Snape. Perhaps it was because he had never had to suffer one of his potion lessons. She sat down on his bed with a huge cup of tea.

“Nor does Voldemort's humour include tea,� she told him. "Can you drink it, or do you need help?� It turned out that Snape needed help. His arms wouldn’t obey him very well. His eyes looked black, fierce and loathing over the rim of the cup, but he let Lilah help him. He needed the tea.

Parvati was glad Lilah was there – Snape, even in his weakened condition, scared her. As soon as he had drunk a cup of tea, he went to sleep again, for which Parvati was profoundly thankful.

Parvati was still eating when Lilah Apparated, leaving Parvati in charge.

She appeared back again quite soon.

Professor Lupin, who appeared with her, looked grim and had her in a half-Nelson with his wand at her throat. (Lilah must have been one of the last people he was expecting at Grimmauld Place).

His face cleared somewhat when he saw Snape, and he let go of Lilah with a mumbled apology, looking in a worried way over at Parvati’s wounded face. “I am going to make a Portkey,� he said. “It is the easiest way to travel. We can all go back together, and then we need to get you back to Hogwarts and Madam Pomfrey young lady.�

Parvati said nothing, as she was sure that if she did, Professor Lupin would forbid her to go back to Voldemort’s stronghold to find Draco. Padma would have known what she was going to do, but Padma was not there.

Professor Lupin still watched Lilah warily, as if he still thought it might be a trap, but he performed a simple spell on Snape’s bed, and asked everyone to take hold. Parvati moved over, pretended to hold a corner of the duvet and watched everyone else vanish with the bed as Lupin hit it with his wand, as if they had never been there. Quickly, before anyone could return, she wrenched opened the door of the hut, and shut it behind her.

She transformed quickly into a wolf, and in lope that grew easier as her tired muscles relaxed, disappeared quickly into the forest. One advantage of being able to transform was that animals could bear pain far more stoically than Parvati herself could!

*********************

“Where is Parvati?� asked Lupin blankly. He and Lilah stood alone, with Snape lying in bed between them. Lilah swore, and then turned to Lupin.

“There is no use even trying to find Parvati. She did this deliberately. She will have transformed, and will be somewhere else completely, and since Snape gave her a blocking draught she will be completely untraceable, unless one of us is brilliant enough to make a counter potion. And even then it will take too long to prepare. She has gone to see what happened to Draco, but it is useless. There is very no chance that he is alive. She will just make things worse for herself.� She saw Lupin’s confused expression.

“She is an Animagus. Do you remember reading the Daily Prophet about nine, ten years ago?� She saw a look of astonished comprehension on Lupin’s face and carried on, “and she is very much in love with my brother. It sticks out all over her. He interfered with a curse of Voldemort’s just before we left. There is no chance for him, but she can’t accept that.�

Lupin nodded. “Well, I guess there is nothing we can do, except check back at the post regularly. If she is an unregistered Animagus who can transform into practically any animal, she should be all right unless she does something silly. Now, first things first, let us get Snape into a comfortable bed, and then I will find a healer from somewhere, even if I have to kidnap one.�

As they bathed Snape properly (which he would have very much hated if he had known about it, but luckily had passed out again) and dressed his wounds, Lilah filled Lupin in on what had happened at the castle, and what Parvati had heard, which made him blench.

Here, she surprised herself by bursting into hot tears. Everything had just been too much to bear, and now that she was safe, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Gingerly, Lupin patted her on the back, and finding that seemed comforting, followed it up with a fatherly hug. She clung to him for a while like a child, crying until she was exhausted, and then he led her down to get a cup of tea. Here she gave him the parchment she had found wrapped around her wand that morning, and he immediately flooed over to give it to Dumbledore, and request that a healer be brought back with him.

Tonks arrived while he was gone, and was surprised to see Lilah, whom she had known in Auror training. She had also known Peter, and it was a huge comfort to Lilah to tell somebody who would care, what had happened. Tonks was shocked. They had, of course, known of Lucius Malfoy’s escape, but Martin had successfully covered up what had happened at the Malfoy mansion. Narcissa was supposedly still under Auror protection, so the news was very distressing. Tonks went off immediately to see what the situation was there.

Lilah stayed with Snape, until Lupin arrived, with a rather young healer, who had not expected to be given any responsibility for a while, and was very diffident. He approved of what had been done so far, however, although he had better working potions for human consumption with him. Lilah assisted him as he went to work, and soon Snape began to breathe more as if he was asleep, and some of his colour returned.

Draco came to slowly, a mass of aches and pains, and misery. His wand arm was above his head, so his body sagged from his arm, where whatever was holding him cut into his wrist. His hand felt as if it may be broken. He managed, wincing, to look up at his hand, which was huge and swollen. His head hurt to move. It was like having a bad hangover and a stiff neck at the same time, only worse. It was a while before he could focus his eyes. He was manacled to the wall.

He tried to sit up, and felt every part of his body creak and hurt with the effort. He looked around him, still squinting. He was in a dirty cell with a little straw over the floor, and a pan of foul smelling stuff near him, which may have been something to eat. The straw was rotten and moldy and slightly damp. The manacle was too tight on his arm, because his arm and hand were swollen. He ached all over, and could see blood on the hand he still seemed to be able to use. But he was still in his invisibility cloak.

Nobody in the Wizarding world had ever seen reversible robes, and so they hadn’t known to take it away. His potion was in the invisible pocket still too, although his wand had been taken. But Parvati’s wand was still tucked into the lining of his cloak and was digging into him rather painfully. Obviously they were not expecting him to have more than one wand, and the invisibility cloak had proved a blessing. Draco moved cautiously, and managed to work his free hand under his robe to grasp the wand. He managed to get it out of the lining with a great deal of effort, which left him feeling nauseous and sweaty. He could hear the guards talking loudly – they appeared to be playing some kind of drinking game. He hid the wand under his robes, and concentrated on moving his feet. He needed to be mobile if he were to escape.

After a while, the feeling came back into his feet and legs. He was just about to grasp the wand, when he heard footsteps approaching. He feigned sleep, as the guard checked on him, kicking him to see if he got a response. Draco let out an involuntary moan that he could not repress, but did not open his eyes.

The guard went back to report. His words floated clearly back to Draco. “Prisoner seems to be coming out of it. Another half an hour we can all have some fun. Pass me that bottle, you!�

Draco felt chills run down his spine at the thought of more torture, and a desperation that was far greater than anything he had ever felt before.

He waited until the noise of the drinking game had started again, and then raised Parvati’s wand.

“Alohamora!�

The manacle sprang open with a loud clank. Draco’s heart almost stopped, but the guards outside didn’t seem to hear. If there was one way to win this war, it was to attack Voldemort as soon as possible before his guards were trained properly.

He got painfully to his feet, and shakily changed his robes around, so that he was wearing the invisibility cloak. If he had not heard the guard's words, he would not have been able to move, but terror is a great pain reliever.

Draco was so scared now that he was functioning on automatic pilot. He thanked Merlin Hermione had the idea of the invisibility cloaks. When he got back to Hogwarts, cost him what it may, he would call her ‘Hermione’, and not Granger. She deserved it.

He stood another five minutes, making sure his feet would carry him and moving his stiff muscles. His hand was not broken, he could move all his fingers, but it was badly bruised, and hurt like Hades... He waited until his head had stopped swimming, and then drank some potion, and slipped out through the door as quickly and quietly as he could.

Soft-footed Draco, his father had called him once, but now his feet felt swollen and clumsy. The guards were drinking however, and did not notice. It would not be long before they found out he had escaped – just as soon as they noticed he had disappeared from the map. They would expect him to go for the doors. He walked as quickly as possible to the stairway. He had gone only a corridor’s length, before his escape was noticed, and the alarm was given. A man passed him shouting “Guards! The prisoner – where is he?�

Draco ran as quickly as he could. In a minute the corridors would be filled with people, and he would be found – the invisibility cloak wouldn’t help him if he bumped into someone. He crouched behind a drinking fountain as someone ran towards him. He heard talk.

“He can’t have gone far!�
“Someone must be helping him!�
“Seal off this corridor!�
“Invisibility cloak! He must have one, or we would have seen him!�

Draco, crouching under the drinking fountains, made his way along the wall, and just managed to make the door before it was shut behind him. The one in front of him shut too. He was trapped in a corridor, with two guards. He looked up. The castle was made of the same stone blocks as in the tower, with glass skylights running along the top as the walls met the roof. He could climb. Badly hurt or not, it couldn’t matter – he had to get out, or he would be hurt worse, and killed. If he made it to the windowsill, he would be able to get along like a crab somehow. Gritting his teeth, he started to climb.

Rivers of sweat covered him, and at one point he really thought he was going to be sick. The pain from his arm was incredible. The sound of voices spurred him on, however, and he managed to make the windows under the rafters more quickly than he would ever have thought possible. The two guards were making so much noise yelling to colleagues on the other side of the door that they did not hear the noise he made.

Draco made his way through a small window-like gap by the door, tearing the invisibility cloak slightly in the process. If anybody had been looking, they would have seen the shadow over the light, but the guards in the corridor were feeling along the walls. Draco saw two more guards in this corridor, and he edged along the top of the wall by the skylights on his stomach, one foot hooked into the gaps in the bricks in the wall below, hoping that he was low enough not to shut out the light. He made it to the next small window, above the next door, but this one had glass. Draco felt the skylight next to him give a little, he gave it a push, and it opened soundlessly. He slipped through, lying full length on the guttering, but could not shut the window. The guards might notice the breeze, but hopefully they would think the window had already been open. He had to move on.

Now he was in a worse position than before. The wind was strong. He could see the roof sloping up, and then becoming flat, but there were guards walking along the flat part, obviously doing sentry duty. There were too many of them for him to think of going that way.

The other side was a sheer drop down to the courtyard. Draco noticed a window open again, a long way ahead, and hoped the guttering was secure. It gave him a couple of very nasty moments. Once he half slipped off the gutter, and clinging on with one hand and one knee, scrabbled around to find a way to fling himself back up. One of the guards turned and said “Hang on a mo’ – did you hear that?� and both guards looked in his direction. The invisibility cloak helped here, and Draco clung to the guttering like a fly, with one arm and one leg, heart beating like fury and feeling the gutter slowly bending down under his weight, until they turned back again, whereupon he scrabbled forward again, this time trying to be more quiet.

His hair, dark with sweat now, under his invisibility cloak stuck to his forehead, and his arm throbbed severely. By this time it was almost black. He had to keep stopping to swallow nausea. He reached the window, but it took a long, long time, and he looked inside. The corridor was empty, and better, the door was open. He lost no time in slipping inside. This time however, he left bloodstains down the wall, where he climbed to the floor. His hands and knees were pretty torn up with clinging onto the guttering. He couldn’t stop to clean the wall – he heard footsteps, and he had to keep going.

He fled softly to the open door, and through. A guard passed him running full speed, and Draco heard him go down the corridor, and through the next door. He had not noticed the blood. Luck was with him right now. He dodged two more guards, and ran as swiftly as he could towards where he knew the stairway to the Tombs to be. Just as he neared it, he heard the alarms by the front door go off – security had been breached somehow.

************

Parvati had made up for lost time. The time she had spent eating and sleeping had really helped, and she was moving fast. Her shoulder pained her, but being a wolf really helped with that. Animals tended to be far more philosophical about pain. She loped through the forest at speed, and then turning into a raven, considered how to enter the castle. The only opening could see was the front door, and she could pretend to be a messenger. That was how the owls were entering. She swooped down, but before she got to the door, the alarms went off. She heard a guard call “The raven! Look!� and then she was dodging spells to save her life, using the moves Harry had taught her, and had to fly away fast, helped by the fact that a couple of owls had chosen that moment to try to deliver their messages, and got in the way, creating a confusion. The two Death Eaters that took off on brooms, she escaped very easily, flying through thick undergrowth.

When she next tried to approach the castle, a guard sent a spell whizzing dangerously close to her head. Parvati flew back into the woods to think. As she did so, she noticed a few owls leave the castle. She felt sure they had been dispatched to look for her, and knew their search would be far more successful, so she transformed immediately into a wolf again, and made her way towards the river. As she saw it, she remembered something about Draco saying there was a waterway to the castle. It was a thought anyway. She transformed again, this time into an otter, and slipped into the water. It was worth trying.

Even as an otter, she found the water was icy. She shivered as she submerged, fish scattering as they saw her. She swam in the direction of the castle, investigating every inch of the riverbed. She knew she had struck gold, when she found a stream cascading over a weir into the river from the direction of the castle. The remains of Nagini’s body had been caught on the weir. She nudged it off with her nose, quivering her whiskers in distaste, not wanting anybody to find it and put two and two together, and started up the weir.

The current was strong! It was difficult for her to make any headway, unless she swam at the side, and scrabbled hard with her paws. And otters were notoriously good swimmers. Soon she was thoroughly warm. After a while, the water ran underground, but there was still an airway overhead. It was even more difficult to pull herself along now, as her paws found slippery rock instead of earth. She lost a claw, but the water was so icy, she didn’t even notice. It was a long and difficult swim, even for an otter, but Parvati found herself at last in a place that opened out. It looked as if it had been used at one time to launch boats, and there was a circular impression on the rocks above her. She guessed the faint light to be magical, as it did not seem to come from anywhere. The place reeked of old and very strong magic. Parvati pulled herself out onto the platform and shook herself dry. Then she began to nose around for some way to open the door above her.

***********************

Draco did not know what the alarm was, but soldiers were running to the front door. At that moment, somebody noticed the blood on the wall, but luckily called out “He’s outside! He climbed up to the window!� Draco breathed a sigh of relief, and dodging the guards at the entrance to the Tombs, started down the stairs.

It was a great strain in his condition, and he lost his footing, falling a way, and unfortunately cannoning into two guards coming up the stairs. He managed to scramble over them, as they grabbed at the air, not seeing him, but the alarm was up. Draco blasted two more guards coming up the stairs with the Stupification spell, and scrambled over them. But Voldemort was coming – he could hear the commotion. The four guards were now chasing him down the stairs, and he was not fast. Spells ricocheted off the walls around him. Added to everything, he had given his ankle a nasty twist when he fell on the stairs. He put on a spurt of energy, and managed to make it to the bottom of the stairs, and along to the Tombs.

The rope was still there, and Draco ran toward it, but had to stop and perform a shield charm – the guards, aware from his footsteps where he was, were aiming all too successfully now. As he stood still a moment, a voice said, “Leave him to me.� Draco looked up, and saw Voldemort.

His breath almost choked him. He did not see how he was going to get out of this one – but Voldemort was not looking at the rope. He did not seem to be able to see it. He was looking at Draco, and he was furious. Perhaps he did not know about the rope and trapdoor. Draco looked over to the side, and tensed. He could just make it if –

As he leapt, Voldemort raised his wand. Draco had just a second to perform a shield charm “Protego!� as Voldemort’s curse shattered it, and with it Parvati’s wand. But at that moment, his bad hand grabbed the rope, pulled, and the trapdoor opened. Voldemort’s next curse only missed him by a couple of inches, as he swung,and crashed into the wall behind him. He was able to hold on no longer, and the third curse went over his head, as he dropped into the ice cold churning water below. Voldemort uttered another spell as the trapdoor started to shut, which held it open with a jar. He walked over to look at the swirling black waters, and smiled a thin cruel smile. Draco was already out of sight. There is no way that injured as he was, he could cope in those waters. Especially since he now had only half a broken and useless wand.

Voldemort stepped back, allowing the trapdoor to shut. A good way to get rid of bodies, he thought, and paused, a thought hitting him. It was here that the two guards Nagini had bitten had been found. Draco had obviously known how to operate the trap door…

Voldemort’s howl of rage had his guards shaking in their shoes.

Nobody had seen the otter turn and dart into the water.

Parvati caught up with Draco before he had been swept too far, and she nudged his face up to the air. For a second, he grabbed at her, as a drowning man might grab at a straw, and Parvati almost panicked. If she was caught, she could not help him. As it was, she needed to be a larger animal to help properly – yet who could swim as well as an otter? She had not time to think of anything else.

As she struggled, Draco disappeared under the surface again, and Parvati had to swim down into the racing swirling icy blackness to find him. She did find him, with an otters’ instinct, and desperately forced his head upwards again. He gasped for air, but was still struggling, if less violently now. A lower crag hanging from the ceiling hit him on the head as they were carried past, and almost knocked him out, which helped her a lot.

They had a nightmare journey, with slippery black walls and icy waters, but the current was very speedy. Parvati found Draco easier to manage while only half conscious. She nudged him onto his back, and then swam underneath his head, forcing it upwards as much as possible. She could not feel or hear if he were breathing, so loud was the tumultuous water, but she was not going to lose him now.

He floated naturally, and she was able to keep him from the more dangerous eddies, which would have dragged him under to a watery grave. It was not long before Parvati saw light. Luckily for her, Draco was limp with cold at this point, and could hardly move. Because she had spent the journey pushing him upwards for his next breath she was nearly spent herself. As they shot into sunlight, Parvati was able to keep herself under Draco’s neck, as a sort of otter pillow. He still drank more than his fair share of river water, but now she could tell he was breathing.

They were catapaulted over the weir, (Parvati knew that Draco probably banged his legs quite hard on the stones, but she was powerless to stop him) and were in the river, floating more strongly now. Parvati was careful to keep Draco’s face out of water.

There were Death Eaters swarming above the river, and a couple dragging nets in the places that debris would normally be washed up, but Draco was still wearing the invisibility cloak, and so most of him could not be seen in the river. Parts of the robe had billowed open, but she was helpless to do anything about that. Parvati hoped they would look like shadows in the water’s surface. She swam very carefully, trying to avoid the nets as best she could, and also not to make any huge splashes on the surface of the water where there wouldn’t normally be splashes. Two of the Death Eaters saw her, and pointed her out to each other, but people expect to see otters in the water, and they did not pursue her. Because they were looking at her, they failed to see the parts of Draco that had become uncovered by the Invisibility cloak. Parvati tried to swim naturally as was possible, so they would not notice her burden. Inwardly she marveled at the lack of training or intelligence the guards displayed. That, if anything, would win them the war.

Now that she could see, she blessed her sense of smell, and the whiskers that had allowed her to follow Draco so surely in the blackness of the tunnel. She let the river carry them beyond the Death Eaters to the forest, to overhanging trees, where she set her teeth in Draco’s collar, and guided him to shore. It wasn’t easy, as she was a good deal smaller than he was, but she managed it at last. Her nose told her that Ron’s safe haven wasn’t too far away either – perhaps a quarter of a mile or so. Neither were the Death Eaters far away. She looked around quickly, and then transformed.

As soon as she became human again, she registered the cold. It was freezing. She was fairly dry, an otter’s coat just needing a quick shake, but Draco was sodden, and she had no wand.

She took the hood off his face, and looked at him. He was quite white with blue lips, and was breathing shallowly, and although his eyes flickered when she called to him, she did not think he was just tired; he was not totally conscious. She felt the frustration of having no wand. If she were to carry him, she would need to do it in a fireman’s lift.

If she became a horse, it would be easy, but what was the point? In his condition he would never be able to climb onto her back. If she wiggled under him and then transformed, he could slide off and hurt herself. And she couldn’t levitate him without a wand. His leg and arm looked nasty, so she would have to lift him, even though she had read somewhere about keeping injured people still in case their backs were hurt. The Death Eaters were getting closer; she could hear them in the distance. She needed to get him away from the bank quickly.

It took her three goes, but at last she had Draco over her shoulder, and then, hearing the Death Eaters coming closer, started out. She had to get him to shelter as quickly as she could - he was so cold she could feel him shaking. He was much too heavy for her, where he was over her shoulder, but when you have to do something, you do it, and at least he showed no signs of slipping. He was heavy, and his waterlogged clothes made him heavier.

Parvati’s legs felt like reeds, and she could feel the breath coming in snorts out of her nose, but she kept going, doggedly and slowly, feeling the cold water from Draco’s clothes run down her back, and front.

They had to make detours a couple of times to avoid the searchers, but Parvati’s ears were quick, and once they had let the river bank there were no more people to avoid. When they reached the outpost, she gave a sigh of relief. It was only luck that they had not been spotted by the Death Eaters she knew were searching for them. She spoke the password, and fell inside. There would be a bit of a trail leading straight to the post, for anyone that could read it, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Draco still hadn’t moved, and Parvati felt his hands, which were completely icy, and blue. She fumbled with heavy wet material, and eventually, with the help of a kitchen bread knife, managed to take off the invisibility cloak. She then tried to take off his shirt, but wet and cold as it was, the buttons were too hard to undo easily, and it was taking a long time. She pulled Draco over to and into the shower as he was, fully dressed, and turned it on warm, as she tried to undo his shirt buttons. She found that the cuff on his dress robes was cutting into his swollen arm, and unable to undo the button, which was pulled tight by the swelling she cut it off.

The tears ran down her face as she tugged and pulled to get the clothing off him, seeing his wounds, some of which looked severe. She had never realized how easy magic made life. How Muggles coped, she couldn’t imagine. The water from the shower ran down her as she worked, soaking her, and mingling with the tears on her face. Draco lay breathing shallowly, and almost unmoving, apart from the violent tremors that ran through him from time to time with the cold. In spite of the hot water, he was still freezing cold. He would have hypothermia badly. If only she had a wand! She had just managed to get his shoes and socks off, when there was a noise behind her in the room.

Parvati shrieked and spun around in absolute terror, only to find Professor Lupin standing there.

That was the end of her nightmare. Professor Lupin magically removed Draco’s clothes, and dried him with the wand. He also performed a warming spell, which was usually used for chilly days, but helped. Draco stopped shaking so violently, and they wrapped him in a quilt from one of the beds. Professor Lupin prepared a Portkey, and they transferred to Grimmauld Place, where Lilah had freshly prepared rooms and clothes laid out on a bed for Parvati in the event of her return.

She was waiting, pacing feverishly, knowing from the amount of time Lupin had been away that something had happened. When she saw Draco, she flung her arms around Parvati joyfully, and then, stepping back, noticed that Parvati herself was not in a very good state. Parvati did not want to be away from Draco, but Lilah insisted. “You have had a shock, so you need to take care of yourself, Parvati. Don’t worry about Draco. I am a very good amateur healer, and will be able to deal with some of his cuts, especially as we had a real healer in here for Snape. He left some potions behind. Then, after he has slept and had something to eat, we will take him to Hogwarts, and he can be put under the care of Madam Pomfrey, and the healers there.� She gave Parvati a fierce hug again. “Thank you for bringing my brother back. I never thought there was a chance that he would be alive.�

Parvati showered and brushed out her long hair borrowing a wand that someone had left lying on the bedside table to dry it. She pampered herself a bit, rubbing on scented cream (Lilah had obviously been shopping first thing, or had brought stuff from her place, wherever that might be), healing some of the cuts she had sustained and re-growing the nails that had broken. The two that had been ripped off would have to wait to grow again.

When she was done, she twisted in front of the mirror. Lilah was right – most the scratches she had sustained as a griffin would fade. She just had the one deep wound on her shoulder that would leave a scar, a couple over her thighs and hips and the one down her face. For a moment her vision blurred with tears. It looked so ugly! However, she pulled herself together. Draco would have scars too – and there was no knowing what Madam Pomfrey and a bit of makeup could do.

Parvati put on the clothes Lilah had laid out for her; Muggle clothes including jeans (rolled up a lot, and tied at the waist, as Lilah was much taller) and a pale green jumper and socks. Parvati felt good. The preening had revived her more completely than a meal and a nap could have. She took a last look in the mirror and danced outside to see if Draco was any better.

He was clean and dressed in Lupin’s clothes, but still asleep. His arm looked much improved however, as it was clean and bandaged, and the fingers, sticking from the bandage did not look like black sausages any more, but were recognizable fingers. Parvati stroked his hair back off his face, and was startled as Professor Lupin came in.

“There you are! Lilah said you would probably be here, so I brought your dinner in.� He set a tray down on the table as he spoke, and Parvati realized she was famished. It was already late evening. “Lilah is helping Snape to eat. He is still here, but Dumbledore and I are taking him to Hogwarts tomorrow. Dumbledore is arriving tomorrow morning. I am sure he will want to talk to you.� Gently he took her face in his long lean fingers, and examined her scar, running his wand along it. It stung, and Parvati bit her lip. He looked sad when he stood up again, but smiled at her before leaving the room.

Parvati ate her supper ravenously. It was a delectable chicken Marsala with accompanying Naan bread and dhal. Either Lilah or Professor Lupin cooked very well. It was followed by a light lemon sorbet that had a cooling charm on it to keep it iced while she ate her main course. Feeling full and safe, she banished her plates back to the kitchen, and pushed back the recliner next to Draco’s bed, ready for her first real night’s sleep in over a week.

**********

Draco had been a little surprised to say the least when he came to and found Professor Lupin and Lilah trying to get a shirt over his head, arguing that pajamas would be more suitable. Apparently Lupin did not wear them, and Draco, drifting in and out of the conversation saw Lilah blush. He was even more surprised when he woke to find that he had obviously been bathed and his hurts tended to. His bruises were still there, but the cuts and abrasions were healing fast, and his hand actually resembled a hand again, even if it was blue with bruises. He let himself be dressed, and then drifted into sleep again, still too tired and too hurt to mind being looked after by Professor Lupin, whom he had never much liked.

Now Draco woke feeling like a new person. He had not expected to survive, and not only had he done so, but he was almost warm again, clean, and warmly dressed in weird Muggle clothes – rather threadbare corduroy trousers in a sort of light brown, and a cream polo neck sweater, and a jumper that looked a little like Mrs. Weasley had had something to do with it. Anyway, it was sort of owl coloured. He had never worn any clothes like these before in his life, and wouldn’t have now, only there was nothing else. He guessed the clothes belonged to Professor Lupin. He did not feel ready to say thank you however, until he had seen himself in a mirror - he felt like a 45-year-old werewolf, and hoped he didn’t look it.

He saw the open door of the bathroom in the corner of the room, and, using the crutches that somebody had kindly left beside the bed, limped over to investigate. The mirror in there was not kind. One of his hands was bandaged up, and the other was in a sling. Some rather interesting bruises and gashes covered his face. One eye was nearly swollen shut. He rather thought his ankle might be broken, and he had some very intense bruises there as well. And he did look like a 45-year-old werewolf. He scowled.

He didn’t remember much after falling into the icy waters. He had a vague recollection of seeing Professor Lupin and Lilah around at one stage. Nobody was around now, and he wondered what was going on.

He tried not to, but he was feeling weak, and so his thoughts turned to Peter and his mother. He struggled for a minute against the wave of misery. He missed Parvati’s warmth and comfort and then he wondered, in spite of himself, if she had deserted him already. Pictures of her with Harry floated through his mind. Harry wouldn’t have come back in a limp unconscious state. Harry would have waltzed in with the job done, and the girls safely in tow behind him. Parvati probably admired that. He was even finding it difficult to use the bathroom. Great. Irritated, miserable and peeved with himself and Parvati, he limped slowly out of his room to investigate.

He had not gone far, when he heard a squeal that nearly burst his eardrums, and looking up, there was Parvati, who had just rounded the top of the stairs, and was coming towards him like an express. He braced himself.

Parvati, who had been sitting with him, had heard him stir, and had gone – as per Lilah’s instructions – to heat up the soup that he would be eating, as it was now noon. She was coming back to check on him when she saw him limping along the hall towards her. She ran forward, and noted happily that when Draco saw her, his scowling miserable face lit up. He didn’t even seem to notice her face. He held her in his good arm as she melted into him, and leaning down kissed her tenderly, pulling away frustrated however, when his bruised and split lip protested.

Parvati ran her hands over his face gently, kissing his hurts lightly and lovingly. “They really messed you up,� she said, tears in her eyes. “Draco, I am so sorry – it was my fault – Snape was just too heavy with Lilah as well.�

Draco felt a peculiar sensation in the bottom of his stomach. It was difficult to realize it as a welling of emotion – partly relief. He almost cried, but then laughed a little shakily, taking her hand in his bandaged one, and looking into her eyes. “Parvati, it wasn’t your fault. It just happened. You did everything you could. If it wasn’t for you, Snape would never have made it.�

He noted the nasty looking cut running along the side of her face, and wished he could have spared her that. Slowly, angling his mouth to given him the least pain, he kissed her again. “And I probably wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for you. I have no idea how I got back here, but I do remember seeing you, so I know you were there. You will have to tell me everything.�

“I will,� Parvati promised, “But we have to see Dumbledore first. He is waiting for us, Lilah says. She and Professor Lupin are going to take us when they get back – they left to take Snape back to Hogwarts with Dumbledore. There is to be a conference tonight. But you should be in bed! I will bring some food up to you.�

Draco raised his eyebrow at her. He fully intended to milk his injuries as much as possible now that he was back safe, but he was not going back to bed to do so.

“Sod that for a game of soldiers. I am going to eat sitting up.�

Parvati shook her head at him, “You should be in bed.�

Draco, intrigued by possibilities, rethought the situation. “Does me staying in bed mean that you are going to come and minister to my every need?� Parvati leaned in and kissed him softly.

“Of course it does!� she assured him, and then caught his leer and glared. “I am going to feed you and make sure you are comfortable!� she told him. “You shouldn’t feel well enough for that yet!� Draco grinned at her, unrepentant, some of his fragile ego restored.

“If I didn’t feel well enough, I would be dead. Anyway, it was worth a try,� he told her.

Soon he was seated at the table with a bowl of French Onion soup and some crusty new made bread with fresh butter. His throat, which had been raw from all the screaming he must have done while under the Cruciatus Curse was wonderfully soothed by the soup, even though his lips hurt to eat, and the bread was light and very tasty. Parvati kept plying him with cups of tea (Earl Grey, his favorite), as in spite of having been immersed in water he was terribly thirsty, although she herself had a glass of the ubiquitous highly orange pumpkin juice with some biscuits.

Lupin and Lilah arrived halfway thorough the meal, Lupin amazed, and not too pleased to see Draco up already, and Lilah flinging her arms around him, in a way that made him yelp. He was not up to being touched yet, and hurt in what felt like a thousand places.

Lilah looked over at Parvati. “Does Dumbledore know he is up yet?�

Parvati shook her head. “No,� she said, “We couldn’t have contacted him if we had wanted to. Neither of us have wands.�

Lilah held out two cheap looking wands. “I dropped by Diagon Alley, and Mr. Ollivander gave these to me as a standby. They will be something you can use for now. And now I am dying to hear what happened to you Draco, but I think we should go to Dumbledore, since you are obviously feeling well enough to sit up, and you can tell the story once, rather than many times.�

Draco, who had been feeling like he would like to go back and sleep some more, saw the advantages to this. Besides, he had things to tell Dumbledore that should not wait while he slept. He grabbed another slice of bread, and held out his mug for some more tea.

They were to go by Portkey again, as Draco had not recovered sufficiently to hop in and out of a fireplace, but Lupin insisted that Parvati and Lilah support Draco to try to stop him falling. It didn’t work, but at least, as Draco told Parvati, they broke his fall, so it was not as painful as it could have been.



********************************

Dumbledore’s office was not large enough, so the Room of Requirements was requisitioned. Dumbledore looked around in interest as they entered. A large fire burned in the grate of what looked like a very comfortable boardroom, with many easy chairs, every two with a table between them, and clipboards on each table. There was a large table full to bursting with cold delicacies – pork pies, scotch eggs, Cornish pasties, sausages, and sandwiches, salads, large bowls of crisps, smaller bowls with nuts, trays of assorted biscuits and fancy cakes, and a bonbon dish full of lemon drops.

“So this is the room that filled with chamber pots for me,� mused Dumbledore, taking a sweet. “Very entertaining. Does it add on bits? If we need a bathroom for instance?�

Ron, who had ordered the room and was present smiled and showed the Headmaster two doors, complete with symbols. “No need – everything we require is already here.�

Professor Snape swirled in slowly, limping, with a cane, looking ill, emaciated and annoyed, but on his feet. “Am I really needed for this meeting? Granger and I were working on some important potions.� He flapped awkwardly like a bad tempered bat over to a chair and sank down into it gingerly. He still had a sling on one arm, and a blue sort of tinge like a cast around one ankle. It did not seem to have improved his temper any.

Everyone but Dumbledore remained in a cowardly silence, but Dumbledore looked troubled. “My dear Snape! You are not supposed to be working on anything for a while. Hermione has everything well under control.�

Snape snorted, but did not answer. He noticed Parvati and glared at her instead, as if it were her fault he was in a bad mood. Hermione, who had followed Snape into the room, was grimacing behind his back.

Remembering his promise to himself, Draco caught her arm. “Thanks for the invisibility cloak Hermione. They were a brilliant idea.� It was difficult for him, but he said it. He saw Parvati’s surprise, amazement and pride, and felt pretty good about himself.

Hermione’s mouth fell open, and she moved it soundlessly a few times before nodding, and sitting down in a chair next to him, still looking very taken aback. Ron sat on a cushion at her feet, leaning back against her legs.

Parvati sat on a brightly coloured cushion at Draco’s feet, and Lilah moved over to sit by Snape. Parvati noticed Lupin’s eyes follow her, and then he went to sit near her, in a hopeless kind of way. Parvati didn’t think it was as hopeless as he did – Lilah would need time to recover from the death of Peter, whom she had obviously loved very deeply, but she did like older men. At this point, Parvati became aware of Draco and Hermione looking down at her, Draco with a very sardonic grin, and she blushed bright red. She leaned over to hiss at him, “Don’t use your Legilimency skills on me! It’s not fair!� Draco’s eyebrows rose.

“My Dear Heart,’ he drawled, “I didn’t need any skills to read your mind just then. Hold off on choosing me a new brother-in-law. I am not sure I approve of Professor Lupin!� Parvati heard Hermione and Ron laugh and batted her eyelashes at him. “How do you feel about Snape then?� she asked mockingly. Hermione laughed harder, and Ron snorted.

Draco looked up in horror, but his sister wasn’t looking at Snape with any great affection. They appeared to be conversing, but that was all. All the same, knowing Parvati and her nose for romance, he cocked an eyebrow down at her again. “Please tell me there is no chance.�

Parvati grinned up at him. “No! Just thought I’d give you a scare!� She winked at Hermione, who laughed again at Draco’s expression.

Draco looked around the room as people filed in, and either sat in one of the chairs, or took a cushion on the floor. How different to Voldemort’s stronghold, where you had to stand in the glare and were tired and frightened all the time. Here the room was tastefully decorated in blues, the chairs looked comfortably shabby, and there were shadowy corners, with shaded lamps. He breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he had made the right choice.

Absently he played with Parvati’s hair as others filed into the room, either sitting on the brightly coloured cushions, or in the chairs, of which there seemed to be just enough. Interestingly enough, Dobby the house-elf was there, along with two others. Draco ignored him, as he had done since Dobby came to Hogwarts. His feelings towards Dobby were ambivalent.

Harry entered and sat down. He was rather white and looked as if the whole world was balanced on his shoulders – which it was in a way - and predictably Ginny, who came in after him, sat near him on a red cushion that clashed horribly with her hair, trying not to look interested. Draco, looking over at Harry’s grim face and thin lips felt a rush of sympathy. Now that he had seen Voldemort close up, he wouldn’t wish him on his worst enemy. And Harry was more alone now. Harry, Ron and Hermione were obviously still a trio, as he looked at them for support now and then, but Ron and Hermione sat together as a couple. Harry sat at what was the head of the room with Dumbledore.

Draco, watching, wondered why on earth Harry didn’t take up with Ginny. She had really blossomed over the last year, and looked ravishing, with that pale skin covered in cute freckles and the flaming red hair. She must look something like Harry’s mother had looked, except he wasn’t sure if Lily had freckles or not. Also she was the seventh child and the only girl in a wizarding family. She had to have some serious power. She could be an asset to him. And Harry looked as if he could do with some relaxation time.

He looked down to see what Parvati thought and stiffened immediately. Parvati was looking at Harry with hero worship in her eyes. Draco didn’t stop to consider that his own expression actually might have been similar. His mouth set in a line, as he clenched his hand so hard in Parvati’s hair that he pulled it and she looked back at him questioningly. He saw Lilah look at him sharply.

At that moment he was interrupted by Padma Patel, who came right over, and taking his face between her hands, kissed him soundly in the only place on his face that he had no bruises. Startled he jumped, but she was beaming at him. “Thank you for looking after Parvati so well,� she said, and then went over to Professor Snape, and plopped herself down on a cushion by his chair, looking up at him and smiling. Parvati fully expected her sister to be annihilated, but Snape actually gave one of his bone-chilling smiles, showing his yellow canines, and said something to her in a low growl.

Distracted from his thoughts of Harry and Parvati, Draco leaned down laughing, so that his breath tickled Parvati’s neck. “Do you want Snape as an in-law?� Parvati pushed him, laughing herself, but her eyes stayed on Padma for an instant. What did her twin think she was doing? She seemed to be flirting with Snape, and he was responding in the way that a big savage dog might if you had a dog treat and didn’t get near enough to have your hand bitten off. Snape was almost as old as her father!

Draco ran his eyes over the room again. Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron and Ginny seemed to represent the Weasley family, so red heads were spotted around the room. Fudge was there, with Percy hanging behind his chair, embarrassed and trying not to look at his mother, so count another Weasley – honestly they bred like rats.

Then there were a few people that Draco did not recognize that he assumed belonged to the Order, including one weird woman with bright pink hair. The Room of Requirements did not look overstuffed, in spite of all the armchairs and pillows and the number of people there.

Draco was going to bask in his glory. Finally a Slytherin was being able to show what he could do. Snape never got any glory, as only a select few knew what he did and any credit always went to the Gryffindors. However, today was going to be different. It would show people like Harry and Ron that Gryffindor was not the only house worth counting. Perhaps now, Dumbledore would finally stop favouring the Gryffindors.

By the time he left the meeting however, Draco felt humbled. He and Parvati had spent three days in Voldemort’s employ, and Snape had spent years. He had suffered far more, endured so much and worked so hard that their effort paled in comparison, even though they had learned some very important facts.

Snape refused to be a hero though. When Dumbledore turned to thank him, his yellow teeth showed in a snarl, and the applause was scanty, as people onviously wondered whether Snape would hex them for having showed any appreciation at all. To Parvati’s fright, Padma laid a hand on Snape’s knee for a minute, but he didn’t hex her.

Lilah gave them her pertinent information, including the griffin arena guests, all of whom she had recognized and remembered although she had been busy repelling griffins and hanging onto Parvati.

Parvati gave a condensed version of what she had found out from the other owls and then Draco took the floor. He was ashamed and humiliated when his voice stopped for an instant when he told about his mother and Peter. Parvati stepped quickly up and covered for him over that part, as he tried hard to regain control. He was glad she took over, although she cried as she described the scene, she was lucid. He would never have been able to do it himself. He would have bawled. Once that was over however, he was able to manage the rest. He was actually surprised at the applause after he had finished. After listening to Snape, all he had done was confirm facts and figures, and tell them what they least wanted to hear. He felt miserable having to tell Dumbledore about the number of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws that he had seen at the Hall of Vandalls.

********************

It was painfully obvious to everyone that Voldemort wanted to force a war before they – and especially Harry - were ready for one, and would do so by slaughtering Muggles with impunity. This had a threefold impact. It would disorganize the Ministry of Magic outreaches, keep the Dementors, trolls and a large faction of goblins happy, and would intimidate people into keeping silent and away from Dumbledore. The longer they waited, the more hopeless it would be. Now that Voldemort knew Snape had escaped, there was even more urgency. They had to strike now, before he found Draco was also still alive – and that was only a matter of time.

Draco watched Harry throughout the meeting, and his respect and admiration grew. He had seen enough of Harry’s background during their Occlumency session to respect him. He had always realized Harry was brave (in fact, he had been quite bitter about it, especially when they had seen Quirrel in the forest drinking unicorn’s blood, and he had screamed and run away, while Harry had stayed) but now he saw him differently.

Even before Harry spoke, he realized that he would follow wherever Harry led. Perhaps he was more like his father than he realized – they had just chosen different sides. He was essentially a follower, and in spite of his youth, in spite of his rather slight build and messy hair, Harry inspired loyalty and trust. In the breakdown of the relationship between Draco and his father, Draco had not had anyone to look up to except Peter, and Peter was dead. Now all his allegiance changed. Harry was bound and determined to slay those people who had murdered Peter and he found himself jealous of Ron and Hermione who had been Harry’s friends first.

And the magical world was divided, some believing the lies and rumor that had been circulated by the Daily Prophet and Cornelius Fudge. Draco wanted to squirm in his seat as he thought of how he had contributed to those rumors. What Harry needed was unqualified support, and he did not have it.

When Harry told of the prophecy, there was a shuddering gasp that ran around the room. It was time to tell the most trusted followers. Harry would need to be protected, and supported, and he judged that people needed to know. Draco looked idly over at Ginny, and was not surprised to see that her face was as white as a sheet. Even her freckles seemed pale. Looking up, Draco was astonished to see Dumbledore staring at her, his eyes dark and brooding. A moment later however, he was handing around some barley sugar, “a great Muggle remedy for shock,� to Mrs. Weasley and Percy, who looked like he might faint.

Parvati herself was white faced and Draco felt a huge surge of jealousy. He knew Parvati had once had a bit of a crush on Harry (it had been obvious to everyone except Harry himself) and she knew how it bothered him. Now he felt a rush of anger towards her. How dare she sit at his feet and worship Harry? He forgot that Harry had been a friend and classmate of Parvati’s for years, and took it personally.

Then Dumbledore himself took the floor. He had only just heard the facts and figures given to him, yet he must have been preparing for this. He was ordering direct attacks on Voldemort’s stronghold in two days’ time. Bill was given major responsibilities, and he nodded, his freckled face stern, an expression that looked odd on a Weasley.

Lilah was to meet Charlie Weasley, who was a liaison with the Dragon Keepers and return the next day with them. Charlie would be in charge of an air attack, mounted on some of the more manageable hatchlings of the Greenback Charlie had been rearing. Greenbacks seemed to have the least resistance to taking orders from humans. Occasionally Dumbledore would ask Ron to speak, making it obvious that a major portion of the planning had been his idea. Hermione was quite blatantly bursting with pride. Her smile outdid Mrs. Weasley’s. Fudge wore a frown, and said little, obviously out of his depth, and not enjoying it.

Percy Weasley was in charge of setting up Apparating points and coordinating figures, which thrilled him. He wore a very humbled air, and seemed glad to be given anything to do. Draco thought Percy would be good at it. He was born with a finicky eye to detail, so there would probably be no need to worry about that end of the operation.

Hannah Abbot and Professor McGonagall would be in charge of communications.

Mrs. Weasley was put in charge of the canteen, and Draco thought he saw her eyes gleam at the thought of feeding thousands as opposed to a few. She was going to take some Hogwarts House Elves to help her. Hermione’s lips grew thin at this, but she didn’t say anything – after all, if Voldemort won the war, the house elves would definitely be worse off than they were now.

Professor Snape and Professor Sinistra were to lead a faction to repel the Dementors, choosing sixth and seventh year students who Harry recommended as being good with Patronuses to help, along with other trained Aurors.

Draco’s head spun. It seemed like an impossible task, given the time available, to storm Voldemort’s stronghold. He was appointed to Harry’s “team�, although he suspected that it was Dumbledore’s name for a bodyguard, along with Hermione, Ginny (Mrs. Weasley did not look too happy, and neither did Ron) and Dumbledore himself.

Ron was to coordinate the attack. Draco’s jealousy of Ron abated slightly. Ron was not to be with Harry. He, Draco had been given that position. Ron raised his head frowning, but did not oppose Dumbledore. A sturdy Auror whose name Draco didn’t catch was to lead another faction, and another who Draco thought he might have seen at the Malfoy mansion was named another leader. The stronghold would come under attack from three sides and the top.

Parvati would be a go-between. Her gift would prove extremely useful as she could avoid detection more easily than some. Again Draco had to struggle with the feeling that a woman’s place is in the home, not out attacking Death Eaters. He knew that Parvati had proved herself, and even saved his life by using her particular powers, but he still felt dissatisfied. He regretted the wound that ran the length of her lovely face, now pulled closed by sticking stitches. She should not have had that. She should have been kept safe and beautiful. And she was still looking at Harry! He pulled her hair sharply again, so that she yelped and looked around at him again, completely mystified. He saw Lilah’s eyes narrow as she watched him.

There were plans and plans and the food came in useful. Everybody seemed to be talking at once, and Apparating and Disapparating, (apparently the Room of Requirement allowed this) but even so, Draco thought that it was more organized and purposeful than Voldemort’s camp.

Although not everybody was there, people were ready and waiting for instructions. A lot of Voldemort’s supporters were too scared of Voldemort to be useful, and those that could be were fighting each other to be high in Voldemort’s favour.

Draco smiled at Parvati, prepared to forgive her as she handed him a plate loaded with sandwiches and crisps. Padma supplied him with coffee, and he was all set to join everyone in refining plans, but Dumbledore remembered him and Snape and sent them off to the hospital wing with Lilah and strict instructions to stay there.

Draco felt a bit resentful, but it was nothing to what Snape felt from the look on his face. However, they both knew that to be able to take part in the battle, they needed to be fit, and two days was not a lot of time in which to recuperate. Parvati gave Draco a quick kiss, and promising to update him later, she walked over to join the group around Harry. Draco’s last glimpse of her was seeing her laugh at something Harry said, her hand touching his arm. He forgot entirely that Parvati was a touchy kind of person, and saw red. By the time Lilah had them to the Infirmary, Snape was sulking, and Draco was in a towering rage.

There were no more beds in the Infirmary, and Lilah had to conjure two more to fit into a little room beside the main hospital wing, which already housed a sleeping occupant. The room became rather snug. Draco had forgotten that the injured from the Ministry had been transported to Hogwarts, and he was rather horrified at the number. It looked like a wing of St. Mungos. There were at least four other Healers working as well as Madam Pomfrey, and a number of House Elves.

And if St. Mungo’s had not been already crowded, there would be no wounded here. Draco wondered if they were going to be able to cope with the wounded from the next battles. Lilah, who was setting out the room, and checking the small bathroom, informed him that the West Wing was being readied as another ward, and that it was not as bad as it looked - all the people who were not too badly injured had already been transported to Hogwarts from St. Mungos, which was almost empty. It was a strain on the Hogwarts House Elves, but only St. Mungos really had the facilities to cure seriously wounded people.

She left after a while, and Snape and Draco eyed each other warily, before Snape waved his wand and commanded “Accio Bookcase!� Unfortunately he was glaring at Draco while he did so, and the bookcase landed half on his bed, and fell over with a resounding crash, waking up the other patient. Draco could have groaned out loud. It was Arthur Weasley. He could write a book about this – a horror novel, entitled “Stuck in a Room with Weasley and Snape.�

Both he and Arthur politely helped Snape put all the books back in the bookcase, and then Arthur got up to use the bathroom. Draco caught his breath as he saw Arthur now walked on a stump, like Moody. He must have been hurt in the Ministry bombing. It brought it home to him again. The war was real, and although his part in it now seemed like a dream, he was going back.

He thought about Parvati. Why had she not come with him? He wondered if she was having second thoughts about him. The idea made him fidgety, and his rage started to subside into rejection. She could have come with him and then gone back to the conference, She didn’t have to stay with Harry. The picture of her talking earnestly to Harry came back to haunt him. She had always had a crush on Harry, he remembered again moodily.

He fell asleep after a while, only to wake shouting, covered in a thin sheen of sweat. It was late evening. Arthur came over and gave him a drink, which embarrassed him, although he was grateful for it, while Snape watched scathingly from his bed. Snape never had nightmares.

After a while, Madam Pomfrey came in with clean pajamas for all of them, which would have made them look like unfortunates from Azkaban. She also had various purges and ointments for them to swallow and rub in an assortment of places. Draco wondered dismally if the clothing situation could get much worse. Parvati might run a mile if she saw him in these. Not that she had been near him for a while. Harry worshiping in the Room of Requirements, he wouldn’t wonder. And the trouble was, he was beginning to see what all the girls saw in Harry. He was competition.

It was stupid to feel this jealous about nothing. He knew it was nothing, but all the same, he couldn’t help wondering. Harry. Even he was starting to like Harry. How could Parvati, who was so emotional, not like him?

He did not know how to control the way he felt. He could see quite clearly now that if he ended up with Parvati now, he would end up by hurting both of them. He needed to fix his personality before he could offer her any sort of a relationship. She was too dear to him to contemplate anything less than a very serious bond, and he was not ready for that yet. He didn’t even know how to love properly. His parents had never given him any kind of role model for it. He was too screwed up. It would be better if Parvati were not so intense. If they could have a light bright affair, it would be much easier.

He had been too taken up with the war. That feeling that one might only live a few hours more made one say and feel silly things. He had told her he loved her. Well, and so he did; but he did not have the right to tell her so. Of course, if he told her any of this, she would try and talk him out of it, help him through it, waste a lot of her time in tears.

Uncomfortably he remembered shouting at her until she cried about Harry, and then pulling her hair this evening. He had even thought of forgiving her! He had nothing to forgive – she was completely innocent, and she had told him so the day they had the big argument and he had shouted and stormed at her. Now he could see that, but when she was in front of him? He doubted it.

She and Harry were just friends. Or so she said. Draco struggled with himself as he lay silently. After a while, feeling exhausted, he got up and gloomily called his own black silk pajamas from his own room, and so did Snape. Neither of them was pleased to find their pajamas were almost identical, and Snape put his robes on again over them, glaring even worse. It was funny in a way that it was Lupin who was the werewolf. Snape looked more like one.

Mr. Weasley quite happily put his Azkaban attire on, and then showed Draco how his wooden leg unscrewed (based on Muggle technology) and had a hollow inside for storing rum, if one happened to like the stuff. Draco could not help noticing that he had a couple of silver fingers too, and a long scar down the side of his neck. He had obviously been caught quite badly. It gave Draco the patience to listen patiently as Mr. Weasley told him all about Muggle pirates and Snape glared at them both from his bed, in a manner almost acid enough to poison them, and then ostentatiously summoned large black earmuffs, which he put on. Draco squirmed with embarrassment, but Arthur Weasley was quite unselfconscious about it.

Lilah came in again quite late, to see Draco. She was serious. “I asked Parvati to wait,� she said. “I know I do not know you very well, but I need to talk to you.�

Draco nodded, not trying to hide that he knew what she was going to say. “I saw that you noticed. It made me think.�

Lilah sat on the bed and looked down at him compassionately. “You are starting to look at her and treat her like father treated Narcissa. I remember when they were first married it was better, and then it got to the stage where he wouldn’t let her talk to anyone. Including me. You can’t do that to Parvati, Draco. She is so in love with you, she would make all sorts of allowances. She wouldn’t be able to fight back, or realize what was happening until it was too late – until you were both entrenched in your misery without being able to see a way out. If you aren’t careful, you will eventually make her hate you.�

Draco nodded, but did not trust himself to speak for a minute. “I know. I realized when I saw you looking at me.�

When Parvati tiptoed in, sometime just after eleven, Draco was still awake and thrashing about disconsolately. She looked tired, but sat down beside his bed, and took his hand in hers. And at that moment, although Draco had been wishing for her to come all day, he knew he had to end things. Love was not enough. In fact love could destroy them both.

He had been lying in bed writhing in jealousy all day, and deep down, he knew she was not at fault. It was him. He was not in control any more. In fact, he had not been in control for a while. He had meant Parvati to be a mild entertainment, not a full time obsession, and they had not even slept together. Just how he would feel about her if he did, he was afraid to think. It kept trembling on the tip of his tongue to ask her to marry him. For Merlin’s sake, what was he thinking? He was seventeen! His mother had been seventeen when she married, and look how happy that had made her! Added to which he had no money, no home – nothing!

Being together and in danger had escalated things too fast and too far. And he knew he was being ridiculous, but he was still furious with her for the way she had looked at Harry. Harry the savior. He was the one who had rescued her but it was Harry she trusted to save them all. Subconsciously he knew it was a wish to control her, as his father had controlled his mother, but other emotions, closer to the surface boiled up. He did not want to think about her, or find out exactly how she had saved his life, because he would never be able to let her go.

He drew his hand away from hers sharply. “Parvati, you look tired. Why don’t you just turn in?� He was aware of Arthur trying not to listen, and Snape furiously reading another mouldy tome in an effort not to see them.

Parvati was hurt by his tone of voice, as he knew she would be. Draco shrugged. He may as well make this quick. “I would like you to keep my mother’s ring, but I think it is over between us. We kind of got too caught up in things, and I need some time away from you. After all, your wizard’s debt is paid – I saved your life, you saved mine.� He watched her lovely face crumple, and saw her ready to argue. He would never be able to cope if she argued so he was cruel. “I think I may ask Ginny out. Kind of fun to go out with a redhead! And she has suddenly got rather stunning.� He noticed Parvati’s beautiful, thick, long, very much loved straight hair. “I like redheads. And you are going to have that scar. Kind of ruins your face, and Ginny is really pretty.� He knew he had hit Parvati where it hurt.

He had thought she would cry, but Parvati went chalk white, and looked deep into his eyes for a few minutes. Draco used all his Occlumency skills, and his eyes were bland. She drew in a choked breath, abruptly turned on her heel and walked away. He knew he had hurt her more deeply than he could have believed possible, but was unable to call her back. He needed her to go, and he had said the things he thought would make her leave. As she went, he felt his heart tear, but sneering kept the hurt at bay. He turned on Arthur, who was watching her leave. “What are you staring at?�

Arthur returned his gaze compassionately. “I think you did the right thing,� he said surprisingly, not pretending he had not overheard. “You have a lot to work on before you get into a deep and committed relationship. She is too young to have to cope with you right now.� His expression as he watched Draco was sympathetic.

Draco gave a snarl, and banged his head into his pillow. Arthur Weasley, who he had always despised, approving of him? It was the last straw. He did not remember feeling this bad in his whole life. And the worst was that when he did eventually cry, he could not sniff, because he did not want Snape or Arthur Weasley to notice.

Perhaps if he had not been so weak still, he would not have cried, but once he had started, he cried for everything: for the mother he had never really known or appreciated, for the man who he thought had been his father, and the man who he had come to care for, and for the wonderful girl who would never now be his. It was early in the morning when he realized he was not alone. Arthur Weasley was sitting on his bed, a hand on his arm, lending silent comfort. How long he had been there, Draco did not know.

Exhausted, he did not protest, in fact he was grateful. Without talking, or looking at him, he knew Ron’s father sympathized and felt for him. He knew Arthur and Lilah both felt he had made the right decision, and that helped. Sometime in the morning, he fell into a heavy sleep, still conscious of that human comfort, although never having acknowledged it.

Parvati slammed the door of her car shut, and, as there were Muggles everywhere, she locked it with her keys, balancing her shopping bags on her hip. She had started to run up the stairs to Padma’s flat, when a shout from behind her made her turn, nearly overbalancing.

“Hey, Parv! Is that you?�

It was Harry. A thin, serious Harry, who had a long white scar down the side of his face, in addition to the one on his forehead. Parvati screamed and let her bags drop down the stairs, and threw herself into his arms, overjoyed to see him. It was not often she saw anyone she knew from her year at Hogwarts any more, and she had always liked Harry. After they had hugged, he helped her to pick up her shopping, and she invited him inside.

“You’re lucky I’m here, Harry! I usually come the first week in every month – but Denis needed to take off for his sister’s wedding, so I came a week later instead! Come in – I just went to Portabello Road and got fresh spices, so I am doing Tandoori Chicken tonight. It will be so nice to have someone to appreciate my cooking. Why don’t you open the nibbles, and we’ll get caught up?�

While she cooked the meal, which smelled delicious, they caught up on each other’s news. Harry’s, she had heard some of. After his defeat of Voldemort, Harry had gone off the rails. Mrs. Weasley, braving the Muggle world had searched high and low for him, finally finding him drunk in a Muggle alley. She had dragged him back to the Burrow. It was there that he had started to mend, although Parvati saw he was still rail thin. She served fizzy flavoured water, keeping the bottle of wine hidden in the fridge. She did not know if Harry was an alcoholic still, but better that he not be tempted.

He and Parvati now talked over lost friends and family. They had not seen each other for over five years – since the end of the war in fact, so there was a lot to talk about.

The attack on Voldemort had cost a lot of lives, and the resulting war had lasted over three years. Three years he had evaded Harry, and after his death, there were still two years of troll attacks, random Death Eater violence and damage control.

Dumbledore was gone, along with Arthur, Fred, George, Bill and Percy. Parvati’s own parents had been killed, along with her older brother. Firenze would be famous as the last of the centaurs. Voldemort had razed the Forbidden Forest, having his Death Eaters send stinging hexes at Grawp, until he was out of control. If there were any centaurs left, they had not been found, and Aragog had died, along with most of his brood in the giant’s trampling. Many of the Hippogriffs had also died. Whatever Grawp had not trampled, had been burned. Hagrid had been heartbroken at Grawp’s death in the flames, and had been badly burned trying to rescue him.

Ron had died too, saving Harry. He had thrown himself in front of a killing curse that Voldemort had intended for Harry, after Harry had tripped and fallen down the stairs after a particularly intense dueling match. Even now, Parvati could remember it. She always relived it in her nightmares in slow motion. She had been holding Dementors at bay with her Patronus, along with Professor Lupin and McGonagall and several other Aurors and students, so that the others would have a fighting chance. Dementors had caused a lot of deaths, (from both sides impartially) as they had preyed on the wounded that were the most vulnerable during a battle. Voldemort had been on a balcony, and Harry lying on the ground. Ron, who had been a magnificent leader, had not even thought twice before flinging himself over his friend. The sacrifice had hurt Voldemort badly enough that Harry was able to vanquish Voldemort at last, after three years of hard fighting.

How much worse the horrors of that day must be for Harry, who had loved Ron as a friend and a brother? It was that day that Hermione died too. Hermione’s death had been a terrible tragedy and a thorough waste. As she saw Ron’s body fall, she had let out a cry (which had actually halted action for a few seconds as friends and Death Eaters alike turned to watch her), and launched herself across the battlefield, until she reached Ron’s side. Hermione did not even make any effort to use her wand, or to defend herself as she knelt down at Ron’s side to reach her hand to his face. It was as if she had totally forgotten where she was. She had never touched Ron – a dozen blasts caused her lifeless body to collapse over his before her hand was halfway to his face. Even now, the look of wild agony on her face while she had run to Ron caused Parvati’s eyes to fill with tears. It was her agony, and Ron’s sacrifice that had made Harry turn to Voldemort with a white face, and given him the courage to do what he had to do.

Luna had killed herself suddenly and accidentally. She had a brilliant idea, which had not entirely worked, but people still spoke of her, as her sudden burning flash had brought down over a dozen Dementors with her, and won a decisive battle. Magicians worldwide were trying to reproduce the charm she had made up on the spot, which involved a blazing Patronus that could dissolve a Dementor. Nobody had ever done it before or since.

Seamus and Lavender, who had got married as childhood sweethearts during the war, were gone. Lavender had been three months pregnant, and they had been at home, on one of Seamus’s short vacations from the front. Blaise Zabini, Ernie Macmillan, and countless other students and fully trained Aurors had died in combat. Dean had lost a leg. Her own twin, Padma, was in St. Mungos in a healing coma, as her brain had been overcome with the horrors that she had witnessed while trying to help. After the war she had suffered deep depression, and fits of near madness, which were very frightening to behold. Parvati had looked after her as best she could, but the healers had decided that it was better to put her into a dreamless sleep for a year than to let her carry on as she was. It was not sure whether she would ever recover fully, but her brain patterns seemed more normal now. Parvati visited her once a month, whether or not she could spare the time from her rapidly growing business, but Padma would have to remain immobile until she could wake naturally. She did not know if she was visited or not, but Parvati missed her twin desperately, and needed to see her.

The look of Hogsmeade had changed forever. Zonko’s was gone, along with their proprietor, and so was Honeydukes, an institution that had lasted centuries. In Diagon Alley, Mr. Ollivander’s wand shop had been blasted, and would need to be repaired. It was feared that Mr. Ollivander himself had been hit, as he had never been seen since. Knockturn Alley was a ruin that was already becoming a tourist attraction.

Mrs. Weasley had taken over the running of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, and it was becoming obvious where the twins had inherited their sense of humour. Charlie and Ginny had seen a side to their mother they had not known she possessed. Mrs. Weasley had also expanded to open a sweetshop area, as there was a need there that was not being filled. She currently had a manager (one Stan, formerly from the Knight Bus, who had gone to night school and studied hard to earn the privilege) at Hogsmeade, and managed the Diagon Alley premises herself. In spite of losing her husband and five of her sons, Mrs. Weasley had never given up. She had practically adopted Harry, and was helping him now, and Harry adored her.

The look of the Ministry had changed. Ginny had taken over where Hermione left off, and was now campaigning for better rights for Magical Creatures. She ran the “Equal Rights for Magical Creatures� office at the Ministry, which senior ministers had at first taken as a joke, but were now learning to respect. House Elves had been given rights. They were adamant about not being paid, but they now had an extra wing at St. Mungos, and any family owning a House Elf had to provide adequate health care, a reasonable working environment and pension and time off every week, which the elves could take or not, as they wished. Since they could not be persuaded to stick up for themselves, the Ministry carried out twice yearly checks on institutions and private houses that owned them.

Ginny had also campaigned hard so that Goblins could now run for Minister of Magic, which had caused a bit of consternation, but was now seen as a good thing by many people, goblins having a reputation for fair dealing, hard work and strict truth. After all, they ran Gringotts. Ginny now had her hands full with trolls and giants who wanted to vote, but could not reasonably be trusted.

There were a few truly happy stories. Harry was able to tell Parvati that Lupin and Lilah (whom she had not seen since she and Draco broke up) were married, and Lilah was pregnant with their first child. If it were a boy, they would call it Peter James. Lupin was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again at Hogwarts as the new legislation for werewolves was already in effect. The Ministry administered carefully monitored applications of Wolfsbane to registered werewolves, and it was worth the nuisance of going into the Ministry every month to be able to hold down a job securely. Lupin now wore new robes, looked less tired and better fed and his Muggle trousers were a thing of the past. The Hogwarts House Elves now wore his old sweaters, more gratefully than Draco had.

Susan Bones was now working as a junior assistant in the Ministry, but she had already been noticed, and it was rumored that if she went on as she had started, she might be a candidate for Minister in ten years or so. Neville Longbottom, after surprising everybody by managing to live through the war, had found a loyal and loving wife (from Hufflepuff, of course, a girl a couple of years younger than him) and settled down in his grandmother’s old house, where he pottered around the garden inventing new plants, blissfully potion and stress free and occasionally giving rambling lectures as a guest at various wizarding universities. His greatest faux pas to date being that he delivered a lecture to art students at a Muggle university totally by mistake. It was probably going to be the most memorable lecture the art students at Thames Valley had ever received. It spawned a new movement dubbed “The Muggle Era�. None of the students had ever heard the term before, but on a Ministry official’s running up and informing him of his mistake, Neville had said quite loudly “Muggles! Why really! So they are!� By this time the students were so enamored of the shy young professor who could do such amazing tricks that they took the term as an endearment, and printed it on everything they could find, so that wizards doing their shopping at high street stores were confused to be confronted with slogans such as, “Be a Muggle, Muggles Are Cool�, and “Play it the Muggle Way�.

Parvati herself was not doing badly. She had a booming business near Hogsmeade, in an old farmhouse where she actually lived when she wasn’t visiting Padma. She had managed to buy it out of the money her parents left for her, after working out her five-year apprenticeship as a Magical Creatures Healer. There she carried on her Mending Magical Creatures clinic with her partner Don Jones (two years above her and formerly of Hufflepuff) who did all the big animal work. The fields were big enough to house dragons and Hippogriffs, and Parvati had some quite regular customers. She also tended the smaller animals from the Hogwarts Magical Menagerie, and Hagrid was a constant visitor, especially when Don had dragons around.

Dennis Creevey had transferred his apprenticeship to her as soon as she started her business and was an enthusiastic and energetic assistant, who could be trusted to help run things if she were absent for a few days (after all, she was only an Apparition away). Her only gripe about her business was that she had to keep her nails short – but they were beautifully polished.

The flat in London was actually Padma’s, although Parvati paid the rent. She stayed in the flat when she came up to London to visit her sister.

Parvati and Harry talked until the shadows grew long. It wasn’t surprising that they ended up on the bed kissing passionately. They were not in love - just two friends who had known nearly unbearable loss - and each wanted the comfort the other could bring. Harry’s breathing grew ragged, and he pulled off his shirt, revealing more scars in the moonlight. He was too thin still Parvati couldn’t help noticing. He traced the long scar down her face that could not be quite hidden by makeup, with extreme gentleness, making tears sting her eyes. He pulled Parvati’s shirt over her head, marveling at her silky skin, running his fingers down her arm. She shuddered, and encouraged, he reached around to undo her bra, but Parvati had a disconcerting image of Ginny flash into her mind, and she stopped him, sitting up, and putting up a hand. “Sorry Harry,� she said shakily. “I can’t do this. I wish I could, but I can’t.�

Harry bit back an expletive. He was, however, very fond of Parvati, so he swallowed his ire and after a few hard moments, his arousal, and slid around to sit behind her, putting his chin on her shoulder, and his arms around her waist. After a while, sensing that he only meant to bring comfort, she relaxed back into him. Harry reached up for the chain that hung around her neck, with the ring dangling from it.

“Its Draco, isn’t it?� he asked flatly. “He is the reason? That is why he is the only person we haven’t talked about today.�

Parvati bit her lip, and nodded. Harry snorted. “He’s an idiot. You know that he never even got together with Ginny as he said he was going to.�

Parvati waited until she knew her voice wouldn’t shake. “Do you know what he is doing now, Harry? Draco?�

Harry waited a beat, and then said reluctantly, “I’m actually lodging with him. He turned out all right at the end, although he has been working bloody hard to fit in. He is working as an Auror – one of the best - as he knows how Death Eaters think. He wanted me to work with him, but I have seen enough bloodshed to last me a lifetime. All I want now is peace.� He stroked the hair off Parvati’s brow, and tucked it behind her ear hopefully. “It has been over nine years Parvati. Don’t you think it is time to move on?�

Parvati reached up to stroke Harry’s face. She knew how he must feel, but it wasn’t good enough for her. She kissed his jaw, gratefully, and stood up, pulling her shirt back on. “I love you Harry. You are a very good friend. And if you want a tip, you would be less lonely if you speak to Ginny more�.

Harry started. “Ginny! She had a crush on me for so long. I thought I wasn’t free to do anything about it, because my life wasn’t really my own. Of course, I was wrong – and I know that now, but I don’t think she can ever forgive me for that. I was trying to keep her safe.� He frowned. “I was trying to keep everybody safe. But I failed.�

Parvati smiled to herself, noticing he had not denied feeling anything for Ginny, but said sharply “Stop it Harry! If you want to indulge yourself in a pity party, I am not going to help.� She waited until he was looking at her, a little hurt, and then kissed him again, softly, full on the mouth, not with passion, but with deep gratitude.

“I think you are wonderful myself. You did more than most people could ever have done. The world is safe again now for Muggles to live in. Don’t blame Ron and Hermione on your shortcomings.� Her voice quavered, but grew stronger. “Ron chose to save you, and there is nothing you could have done to stop that. It was his right. Hermione probably didn’t even know what had happened. All she could see was Ron. Harry, it isn’t your fault, and you have to stop thinking it is before you ruin the life he saved.�

Leaving Harry looking thoughtful, Parvati made coffee in the old fashioned Muggle fashion, with some magical upgrades as to speed. “Padma saw something,� she said abruptly. “She knew it would be one of the Weasleys that saved you. Dumbledore read the signs wrong. She told him it would be one who loved you that saved you, and I think he thought immediately about Ginny. He didn’t think about Ron. Ginny has loved you for a long time, you know Harry.�

Harry gloomily banged a spoon against the table. “She gave up on me years ago, Parvati. She goes through boyfriends like some girls go through chocolate. She certainly isn’t pining for me! I think you’re wrong.�

Parvati poured out the coffee, squirted whipped cream from her wand liberally on the top and handed a mug to Harry. “I see her fairly often. We got closer after the war, when both of us had lost so much. She doesn’t actually talk about you, but none of her boyfriends have stuck,� she pointed out. “But sooner or later, if you don’t hurry up, she will find somebody. She is only twenty-six yet, and has a very busy career, but I know she does want to settle down. And she does meet some very nice men. One of them will erase your memory in time.�

Harry sat down at the table and stirred sugar into his coffee. “That is the whole point,� he said wearily. “I know you mean well Parvati, but Ginny grew up with a wonderful family, and would make a wonderful mother. I ran through all the money my parents and Sirius left me. I signed my house away to the Order, because I couldn’t stand the memories it brought me, and I have no job prospects because I have been drinking. I don’t want to tie her down to a rather screwed up guy that doesn’t have a clue. I have no idea how to bring up children. I can’t lock them all in the downstairs cupboard.�

Parvati stroked Harry’s hair back from his head, and sat on the table looking down at him. “Harry, you are selling yourself and Ginny short. You are rather wonderful you know. I know you would have the strength to overcome your upbringing, however miserable it was. And Ginny would help you. She is tremendously strong. I admire her tremendously. And she grew up with the life that you want, and could reproduce it. Mrs. Weasley would help too. I don’t think she would interfere, but she would help you if you asked. Harry – don’t leave it too late. You, of all people deserve to be happy. Don’t you think that you could make someone happy? You have so much to give. And remember that marriage takes a lot of work, so if you are prepared to work you have a better chance than people who aren’t. And you know your shortcomings and don’t expect it to be perfect.�

Harry pushed back from the table so violently he nearly spilled his coffee, and raised his hands. “Woah! You are talking marriage here, and I haven’t even spoken to the girl for a while! She may not even accept if I do ask her out! She knows I am a washed up bum.�

Parvati smiled into her coffee. “You were the one who mentioned ‘tying down’ and ‘bringing up children,’� she pointed out. “You know I am a confirmed matchmaker. I’m just following your train of thought! And about that job – have you…�

Harry cut her off. “Actually I do have plans. I wasn’t quite telling the truth when I said I hadn’t been working – I have been working quite hard the last year. I will tell you, but you have to be quiet about it in case it doesn’t work. I don’t want a stressful job. I want peace and quiet and I want to be doing something useful. I spoke to Dean, and he and I thought we would fix up a wand shop like Mr. Ollivander’s.� He blushed a little as Parvati stared at him. “OK, you think it is a bad idea.�

Parvati’s brain started working again. “No, Harry!� she said earnestly, “Actually I think it is a very good idea! But I thought you needed a special magic for that? I mean; to be able to fit the wand to the person?� She waved her own wand disparagingly. “Mine doesn’t work nearly as well as my old one, although I had it made from the same wood.�

Harry smiled a crooked smile. “Well, I have been doing a lot of study recently,� he admitted. “And I have been studying the art of wand placement. I would place you at unicorn hair and white walnut sapwood now.� He noticed Parvati’s eyebrows winging upwards, but remained unfazed. “Your personality changes, you know, as you grow up. Normally your wand would have changed with you, but you lost yours, and had to get a cheap one. It just isn’t the same.�

She was quiet a minute, and thinking she was still skeptical he went on, “Dean carved Draco’s new wand, you know. Dragon heartstring and African Blackwood instead of ebony. Remember how good he was at art? It seems to be even better with carving. Draco’s new wand has curved dragons, a little like his other only I think it is even better. Dean chooses and buys the wood, and it is my job to provide him with the cores and sell the wands.� (Here, Parvati raised her brows. She wouldn’t really describe obtaining Dragon Heartstrings as “peaceful� but then Harry was Harry.) “Draco swears by his new wand, and he does a lot of fancy things with it. Dean does ornate silver, gold, wood or ivory inlay. He is very good at flowers or unicorn etchings, and can polish either a turned piece, or leave it looking natural - whichever suits the owner. The only thing is finding the capital to fund the restoration of the shop, and to set us up with a stock of wood. Dean has half the capital, and I know Mrs. Weasley would back me like a shot, because the joke shop is doing so well, but I want to do it on my own. I have had two loans rejected so far, because I am seen as ‘unstable.’ I think I have found a bank that is willing to go for it though, so keep your fingers crossed. You could be our first customer.�

Parvati jumped down from the table, pleased to hear the pride in his voice. “Well, let me know as soon as you can, because I really need a new wand. I would quite like Dennis to have one too – his old one was really cheap, and doesn’t act quite as well as it should. Don was grumbling too. He does most of the dragon work. When you are looking after dragons you really need a good wand!�

Harry didn’t accept her offer of a bed for the night, but said he would go back via tube, since he was too tired to Apparate. Parvati felt a little lonely after he had left. Ginny had the right idea. She should be seeing lots of men, not pining after one, especially the one who had hurt her so badly and left her so long ago. She fingered the ring around her neck, but she had left it there so long that she found she could not take it off. In fact, when she tried, a thin screaming ran in her ears, and she felt shaky and ill. Parvati put it back around her neck, a little shaken. Perhaps it was the ring which had kept her from forming an attachment to anyone else all these years, although, looking back, it was as likely to have been the long hours she put in studying and setting up her business. With the war, it was amazing that she had managed to finish her training as early as she had. Whatever it was, she would have to go to a curse breaker to have the ring removed from her person. First thing tomorrow. Padma would not even notice if she were late.


Draco lay in bed and wondered when Harry was coming home. Now Harry was lodging at the Malfoy Mansion, Draco felt responsible for him. Ever since Harry’s breakdown, he had been worried every time Harry came in late, listening to see if his footsteps were even. He wouldn’t wait up for him, knowing Harry would hate it if he did, but he couldn’t sleep until he knew Harry was back.

As usual, his thoughts turned to Parvati. He hoped she was happy in whatever she was doing now. He would always remember her, but he knew that what he had done had been for the best. He was so lost in reverie, that he didn’t hear Harry come in until Harry had shouldered his way into Draco’s room, turning on the light, and standing over him with his fists clenched, looking severe.


EPILOGUE PART II

Parvati walked up the well-known steps to St. Mungos with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She felt like this every time she came here. She hated seeing her twin lying, her face unmoving, barely breathing, as the healers attempted to heal her brain. She missed her sister unbearably sometimes. To her surprise, she was not the only visitor. Draco Malfoy sat in the chair next to Padma’s bed. He held her hand, and was talking to her in a low voice. Parvati’s temper flared a little, and she stalked into the room, the scar on her face seeming to scream its presence. She was tempted to angle her face away from him, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Draco jumped, and had the grace to blush. Parvati noticed that he looked more like his father than ever. His long white fair ponytail fell almost to his waist, and his unrelieved black robes were almost Death Eater in style. Parvati ignored him as she found a vase to put flowers in for her sister. If Padma ever woke on her own, Parvati wanted the flowers to be the first thing she saw.

“I was waiting for you,� Draco said uncertainly, standing up. Parvati noticed his eyes traveled to her neck.

“I see,� she said crisply. “You have been talking to Harry. I had a curse-breaker take off the ring this morning. It is in my bag if you want it.�

She opened her bag, and began to look through it. She found and held it out to him at the same time as he said, “No, actually I wanted you to keep it…� Parvati held it out to him, her head high, and her eyes slightly amused. In the end his eyes fell, and he took the ring from her, defeated.

She walked around him to sit by her sister, and tell her the things that she had been doing that month with her business, hearing him move towards the door. She spent half an hour with Padma, and was expecting Draco to be gone, as he was so quiet, but when she looked around he was still there. “Get better Padma!� she said. “I will see you again soon – I just need to settle some business first.� She turned to Draco a little haughtily.

“I assume you want to speak to me, since you are still here? How about lunch? I know a nice little place around the corner.� For a moment, she thought she had him, but then his brows contracted.

“You really want to shout at me in public?� he asked.

Parvati stopped in her tracks. She kept her voice light and amused. At least, she hoped it was light and amused, “Why would I want to shout at you? I don’t even know you that well any more.�

Draco looked as if she had hit him, and for a moment she felt a little guilt, but she was right. She hadn’t seen him for eight years, and he had been going out with a succession of different girls then. It hurt like it was only yesterday. She took a deep breath. “I really don’t think we have anything to talk about.�

Draco took her arm as she started to walk again. It was a very possessive gesture, and Parvati tried not to let his nearness trouble her. Draco spoke in a conversational tone. “I did speak to Harry, or rather, Harry spoke to me. After he had hit me a couple of times, he told me some very interesting things. I was hoping you would come back to the Malfoy mansion with me so that we could talk. Otherwise I will have to follow you home, or to Padma’s flat.�

Parvati cursed Harry under her breath. Well-meaning idiot! She didn’t see that she had much choice however. Draco was perfectly capable of following her, and starting a row in front of Dennis, so she accepted a little of Draco’s floo powder out of the leather pouch that swung from his waist, and followed him into the fireplace.

The Malfoy Mansion did not look as it once had. The walls of the room Parvati landed in were white with heavy old black beams, and the wooden floor shone with polishing. There was a cream carpet and soft black leather sofa. It looked rather bare, and very masculine. On the mantel, there were various art pieces, mostly dragons, although there was one cast iron griffin too. Draco excused himself, so Parvati peeked into the mirror. Her hair was in a neat plait, and her make up was perfect, as always. You could almost not see the scar. She was wearing one of the new lightweight silk robes that were fashionable this summer, buttoned from the neck to the waist and flared (a little like an old fashioned riding habit in Chinese style). It was scarlet, and embroidered in gold. Her gold earrings and necklace matched perfectly. She was satisfied with what she saw, but furious with herself for checking.

She was admiring the gorgeous Elizabethan-style rose gardens through the window when Draco reentered in his shirtsleeves, carrying a tray.

“I remember you like pumpkin juice, but I don’t have it in the house, as I can’t stand the stuff, so I had the house elves make lemonade instead. Or there is butterbeer or coffee if you prefer.�

Parvati sat on the edge of the couch, with her ankles crossed under her, clasped her hands around one knee and murmured politely “Lemonade is fine.� She watched him pour it for her, into a tall frosted glass. He placed it on a coaster in front of her, and she looked up at him, trying to be as cool as the glass in front of her.

“Now, how can I help you?�

She should have remembered Draco never played fair. As soon as she had asked, his warm lips were on hers. Parvati had waited for so long, she didn’t have a chance. She practically went up in flames. When she came to her senses, her hair was loose, and tangled around Draco’s fingers, he was half lying on her, and she was underneath him, her robes crushed underneath his weight. He saw the instant shocked recognition entered her eyes, and he was ready for her when she started to struggle against him.

Parvati felt almost desperate. She had given herself away so totally, and she felt humiliated beyond belief. If she ever saw Harry again, he would regret the day he had been born. Draco was laughing delightedly, and Parvati saw red. The next thing he knew, he was holding down a snarling black panther, who writhed in his grasp, claws out. He let go, hurriedly, and Parvati, thoroughly rumpled up, sprang off the couch in a twisting leap, that still had more panther to it than Parvati. She caught a dragon off the mantel with her wand and hurled it at his head. Draco just managed to avoid it, before it smashed into the wall beside his head and the next ornament caught him on the shoulder as he tried to dodge. He managed to deflect the next two, before gasping out “OK, enough!�

She faced him, breathing heavily, practically spitting still, her wand still in her hand. Draco rubbed his shoulder, eyeing her a little nervously. The cast iron griffin was solid. He was surprised she had managed to heft it that far, even with magic. He didn’t want to think what other damage she could inflict with her wand. In a completely Slytherin type move, seeing she was off balance, he called “Expelliarmus!� and her wand shot into his hand. He put it in his holster with his as a precaution, keeping his eyes on her as she hissed at him.

“Parvati. I am sorry. That was a mistake. I shouldn’t have kissed you.� He couldn’t stop his delight at her reaction to him, and found he was grinning like a maniac again. “I have just wanted to ever since Harry came and threw me out of bed early this morning.�

He watched Parvati’s eyes narrow, and bravely took a step closer.

“I thought I had burned all my bridges long ago where you were concerned, and didn’t dare even trying to think of getting back in touch.� He considered coming another step closer, but Parvati still looked dangerous, even if he could stop her transforming in time.

She almost spat at him. “Yes, Draco! And you managed to slip me a cursed ring to make sure I wasn’t going to touch anybody except you! Harry just jolted your memory, and I guess you want a reunion for old times’ sake? Are you that desperate? Aren’t there any unmarked girls you could seduce instead?�

Draco felt the blood drain out of his face, and an ice-cold pit in his stomach. He had forgotten the ring. “I didn’t know the ring was enchanted.� He was almost trembling he wanted her in his arms again so badly. Damn the ring! He hadn’t even thought – why should he? Yet it was something he was not surprised that his father had done to his mother. Parvati was still watching him with narrowed eyes, and it occurred to him that her reaction to him had given him any information he needed; yet she did not know what he felt or wanted. He looked straight at her. “I was a fool to let you go all those years ago Parvati. I don’t care about the scar. I never did. I was just trying to push you away, and I said the cruelest things I could think about to say to get you to leave me. I have thought about you ever since, and I want to be part of your life, if you will let me. I truly didn’t know the ring was cursed. I would never have given it to you if I had known.�

He saw her lovely mouth fall open in shock and disbelief. He sat down on the sofa again, and patted the seat beside him. “I promise not to jump you again. Come and sit down.�

Parvati, her head whirling, moved almost zombie-like around to sit on the couch again. She wondered if this was some bizarre charm or illusion. And she wanted to be jumped again. Her whole body was hot and cold by turns, and she noticed the top buttons of her robe were undone, although she could not remember that happening. Draco was looking very uncomfortable however.

He waited until she sat down, and then, clasping and unclasping his hands, started to speak.

“I know this is very old history, but you do deserve an explanation. What I did to you was terrible, and I did not give you the reasons behind it, because you would never have accepted them. You wouldn’t have given up on me, and I was not ready to tie you down. I realized that I was very damaged by my upbringing. It took a lot of work to realize that I had serious problems, and needed to readjust my personality if I ever expected to have a real relationship, however much I loved you. I couldn’t control you, and although I told myself I didn’t want to, I found myself acting like my father did to my mother. When it hit me that I didn’t like you having any friends I realized that was a huge problem. So it was probably for the best that I did what I did. I couldn’t have been very faithful or balanced when I was seventeen. I used to get jealous – I was jealous for a long time of Harry, even after we had broken up. I know now you were not interested, but I think then that I might have gone over the edge if you had dated him. I was right when I said I wasn’t ready for a relationship. I wasn’t right to be cruel, but I couldn’t think of another way to get you to leave me. I have taken a long time to get to where I am now. In fact, if you want to take me back I can warn you I am still definitely not an easy person, although I am much better than I was. I am still selfish and domineering at times – or so Harry says.�

She was silent, but not frowning. Encouraged, he took her hands. “Parvati, I was scared of how I felt about you. I have had girlfriends since you but I have always chosen girls that I knew I could never be serious about. I never had the slightest inclination to marry any of them.� He was now running his thumb up and down the back of her hands, sending shivers down her spine.

What he was saying made sense. Of course she had dreamed about getting married and living happily ever after, but he was right. If they had got married very soon, she would have been juggling a husband with emotional problems, her apprenticeship and perhaps even babies at the same time. And loving him as she did, there would have been nothing less than total involvement for her. She wouldn’t have thrown herself into her studies and had the opportunities that she had made herself if all her energies had been centered on helping Draco. Possibly – even probably - he would have been less of a person, having her to lean on. And he was right. She would not have let go – she would have been convinced that she could help him.

All the same – eight years! They would both be different people. They had been through so much. She couldn’t really fall right back into his arms. What about her pride?

It seemed she had none. Draco was still talking, but Parvati wasn’t really listening any more. Her hormones had taken over, and she could only hear a buzzing in her head that was getting louder and drowning him out. This wasn’t a dream. This was real. He loved her still, and he had always loved her. He wanted her back in his life.

She looked up and found him looking earnestly at her. For a few moments their eyes connected, and Draco faltered. He cleared his throat to go on, but Parvati stopped him with a kiss. His immediate reaction to her was a thrill. She moved over to straddle him, and trailed kisses down his neck and across his shoulder, slipping the band from his hair and threading her hands into it. She could feel him probing into her mind – he was still such a Slytherin! She smiled against his mouth, opening up so that he could see everything.

Draco couldn’t believe it. He had never hoped to approach Parvati again, and here she was in his lap, actively pulling his shirt over his head. When Harry had yanked him out of bed at midnight, he had not believed him. How could somebody as warm and loving as Parvati possibly not have somebody in her life? That was until Harry had, quite literally, knocked some sense into him. He had felt hope in a way he had not felt it for years. Oh, he had had women. Lots of them too, but none of them had inspired him with the love (or even quite the lust) that he had felt for Parvati.

Now Parvati’s hands were at his belt, and all his thoughts but one flew out of his head, and he picked her bodily up and carried her into his bedroom, his teeth on her jaw, and his hands breaking open her top, forgetting completely that he had both wands in his holster.

Some time later that day, he slid the now de-cursed ring onto her engagement finger.


The wedding had to wait until Padma came out of her coma, and was allowed to leave the hospital. It took another six months, but Parvati and Draco found they had a lot to do to coordinate their lives, and relearn each other. Draco found that Parvati giggled and bounced less, and thought more. As Draco had said, she found him older, wiser and less abrasive. He did not try to manipulate her too much, or lose his temper when she spoke to Harry. His voice had forever dropped the whining sound that he used to have when he wanted something, and when he laughed, it was a full rich baritone rather than the nasal snigger.

Parvati had moved into the Malfoy mansion, and it was already decorated, Draco teased, like a harem, with hanging silk curtains and large coloured cushions on the floor with gold tassels. Actually he didn’t mind. Before Parvati, his home had struck him as rather sterile. Now it was full of life and colour, and things he could tease her about. Parvati Apparated to work each morning, and Draco had accepted a position within the British Isles whereby he would not be posted too far from home, and was looking forward to some well-earned domestic bliss.

Padma would never be the girl she used to be, and her eyes were solemn, but she was able to live life again. In fact, she was actually happiest with Professor Snape. Parvati did not know that he had been a regular visitor at the hospital, until Padma woke up. They seemed to have a bond that had been formed when Padma had found Snape at the Castle of Vandalls, which had even transcended the coma. Snape, in true Snape-like fashion had not thought that fact worth repeating to the Healers. Padma now lived at Hogwarts, consulting to Headmaster McGonagall, and was, more often than not, to be found in Snape’s quarters, which Parvati found very strange. Even stranger was the fact that her sister called their Potions master “Severus� and Parvati and Draco found themselves having to invite him, not only to the wedding, but also to family dinners with Padma. Parvati at least, did not think she would ever get over her fear of Snape, She certainly could never see herself calling him ‘Severus’. Snape himself felt unable to forgive them for being the people to rescue him, and was only polite for Padma’s sake.

Parvati worried at first, because Snape was so much older than her sister, and she did not trust him but once she had spoken to Professor McGonagall, she worried less, although it still seemed rather unnatural. Padma had aged beyond her years with what she had been through during the war. She had not only suffered herself, but she had suffered other people’s grief and agonies. Professor Snape had actually transferred some of himself to her while they were connected and so she was actually now nearer Snape’s mental age than Parvati’s. Padma would never speak of that to Parvati. The worst of Snape was something that had happened, and was over. No, Professor Snape was not a nice person, but he had been shaped by his surroundings. Padma would not have him criticized.

Parvati grieved bitterly for the loss of her sister, with whom she would never have the same relationship. Gone were the days the sisters could giggle and gossip together. Padma had learned the penance that comes with being a true Seer and telepath. She had used her gift too recklessly when she was younger, and it had turned to rend her. When she spoke now, she sounded more like Firenze, cautious, knowing the danger the future can bring. She felt comfortable with Severus, because he too, had become intimate with the pit of hell.
Padma gave Parvati her chart, which hung in pride of place in the Malfoy master bedroom, but now she only consulted on weighty matters.

It was a small wedding, unless you counted Hagrid as a few guests.

Harry attended as the best man, with Ginny, who acted as chief bridesmaid, Padma having declined, being still weak. Harry already looked healthier and happier. He and Dean owned most of their wand shop now, which was called simply ‘Harry’s Wands’, Dean not wishing his name to appear. Harry was tired of ostentation. He was surprised to find that he didn’t mind the publicity when their shop opened however. It was publicity he felt was well deserved, and came from something that he had initiated and carried through to completion, and not just the result of an accident of birth, or what he had been fated to do. Of course his previous publicity did help as people were curious to see the shop and wands, but for once he felt his scar to be a bonus.

He had already paid off a hefty part of his bank loan. He had his quiet life, if one could be said to have a quiet life around a fireball like Ginny and a booming and often dangerous business, (some of his exploits to find the perfect dragon heartstrings, and unicorn hairs were already undergoing publishing in his rather humorous and soon to be very popular book) and his wands were already as famous as his scar ever was. Ginny had taken him “on trial� but the trial seemed to be proceeding very well, and Ginny, who had once confessed to Parvati that she thought she would never find the perfect man, was obviously both adoring and adored.

Lupin and Lilah were there with little Peter, Lupin looking a little worn as the phase of the moon caught him at a bad time, but very happy. Padma and Snape both attended, and so did Don who brought his wife and two children. A Hippogriff that was to transport the happy couple to their honeymoon destination ate dead ferrets from a nosebag in the vestry. Dennis Creevey sent best wishes, but was looking after the clinic.

And there let us leave them. Young people who have endured much, and need some time to enjoy their now fairly secure world and each other.