Clouds gathered in the sky, as lightening bolts echoed across the countryside. Draco Malfoy was on a mission. Rain soaked through his hair, but he barely noticed. He had been walking for around half an hour, wrestling with his consience. He hated what his life had become. Constantly running around after different people, most of them with some connection to the Order of the Phoenix, and in most circumstances, torturing them until they gave the information required, or died. There was barely anything left of his soul, he'd heard the pained screams of people as they were tortured, and seen others take their last pained breath as their loyalty came before their life. A tear slipped down his cheek. He brushed it away with force. This job was no different.

"Sir, is it this one?" Conrad asked him. Draco had almost forgotten that he wasn't alone. He ranked higher than Justin Conrad, but he had been asigned him as his partner. Sometimes he became glad that he only ever worked alone or in a pair, he'd hate to be a part of the massive mobs of Death Eaters. He knew what it was like to watch, and it was scary. The memory never left him.

"Yes." Draco stared up at the house. It was a bungalow, detatched, with a small over-grown garden. He sighed, as he pulled out the message parchment from his robes. Melissa Greengrass, Order of the Phoenix spy. Torture until information is given. If no such information is given, dispose of her. He shoved it back into his pocket in disgust, not wanting to even look at it.

Conrad followed him up the pathway, and to the door. He counted to five before he unlocked the door with his wand, and quietly made his way into the hallway. There was no other noise. He slowly crept through an open door into one of the bedrooms. Not a sound there either. A bed was pushed against the wall, a book lying across the covers; Advanced Transfiguration: N.E.W.T Level. Draco's stomach turned. There was someone else living here; someone his age. His eyes darted around the room, taking in his surroundings. Posters on the walls of some rock bands, books thrown over the desk, robes hanging up… a red and gold badge on the chest of them. His eyes widened, as he saw something else, a cage… empty.

"Conrad," He commanded.

"Sir?" Conrad appeared by his side.

"Check the rest of the house." Draco told him. Conrad disappeared to investigate the rest of the house.

Draco approached the cage. He stood in front of it. He slowly pulled his wand out from his robes and whispered the incantation. The cage disappeared, and in it's place, a girl sat at the desk, fear shooting through her electric blue eyes. She had shoulder length brown hair, dark, and fringe swept across her face. She tried to blink back tears of fright, but was unsuccessful. She held her ground.

Suddenly she bolted over the desk, her wand aimed at Draco's chest.

"Don't come any c-closer… I'm armed!" She warned him, her hand shaking as her finger gripped around her wand. Draco clicked his fingers and the mask over his face evaporated. He felt pity on the girl, she was his own age, it would be like killing one of his classmates, and he wasn't sure he could bring himself to do it.

"W-why are you doing that? You're not supposed to do that…" She stammered, her harsh glare lightening slightly.

"Where's your mother?" He asked her, wasting no time. She said nothing. "Where is she?" He growled.

"Why should I tell you?" The hatred returned in her face, and she kept her wand securely pointed at his chest.

"Because if you don't, I'm going to have to do something I really don't want to do," He explained heatedly. "And I'd lower that if I were you. If you hadn't noticed, I'm not pointing mine at you."

She considered this for a moment, before lowering her wand. "I don't know where she is. I thought she'd been killed by your lot," She said it with such disgust and pure hatred that it made Draco shudder.

"Well, she hasn't…" He paused, not really sure how to phrase his next sentence.

"No, that was your job, I suppose," She said through gritted teeth. "Proud of yourself are you?"

Draco glared at her, his cold eyes freezing through her. "No." He said indignantly.

"Sir," Conrad called from the hallway, Draco shot around and met him in the doorway. "Sir, she's not here."

"Check again." He ordered.

"But, sir-"

"Check again!" He repeated, but louder. Conrad nodded and set off in the direction he'd just come from. Draco entered the room again. The girl hadn't moved, but her expression seemed very surprised.

"What's your name?" Draco asked her, his voice softer than it had been in a long time.

"Astoria," She replied. "What's yours?"

"Promise you won't turn me in?" He asked her, coming closer. She nodded. "I'm Draco."