Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy was standing with his back to the door, his hands clutching either side of the sink, his white-blond head bowed.

"Don't," crooned Moaning Myrtle's voice from one of the cubicles. "Don't . . . tell me what's wrong . . . I can help you. . . ."

"No one can help me," said Malfoy. His whole body was shaking. "I can't do it. . . . I can't. . . . It won't work . . . and unless I do it soon . . . he says he'll kill me. . ."

And Harry realized, with a shock so huge it seemed to root him to the spot, that Malfoy was crying — actually crying — tears streaming down his pale face into the grimy basin. Malfoy gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, looked up into the cracked mirror and saw Harry staring at him over his shoulder.

Malfoy wheeled around, drawing his wand. Instinctively, Harry pulled out his own. Malfoy's hex missed Harry by inches, shattering the lamp on the wall beside him; Harry threw himself sideways, thought Levicorpus! and flicked his wand, but Malfoy blocked the jinx and raised his wand for another —

"No! No! Stop it!" squealed Moaning Myrtle, her voice echoing loudly around the tiled room. "Stop! STOP!"

There was a loud bang and the bin behind Harry exploded; Harry attempted a Leg-Locker Curse that backfired off the wall behind Malfoy's ear and smashed the cistern beneath Moaning Myrtle, who screamed loudly; water poured everywhere and Harry slipped as Malfoy, his face contorted, cried, "Cruci —" "SECTUMSEMPRA!" bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly.

Blood spurted from Malfoy's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backward and collapsed onto the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.

"No —" gasped Harry. Slipping and staggering, Harry got to his feet and plunged toward Malfoy, whose face was now shining scarlet, his white hands scrabbling at his blood-soaked chest.

"No — I didn't —" Harry did not know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Malfoy, who was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. Moaning Myrtle let out a deafening scream: "MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!"

"Blimey, Harry. WAKE UP! WAKE UP YOU GIT!"

"NO. I didn-"

"HARRY! WAKE UP. YOU ARE DREAMING AGAIN. WAKE UP!" Ron growled.

Harry jolted up in the bed when he heard the word Dreaming and tried to open his eyes, desperately wanting to clear his head of whatever nightmare he just had. Just as he tried to open his eyes, he squinted at the bright sunlight that peered through the window. He shut them back again.

"Bloody hell," he mumbled.

"Oh Harry, are you alright?" he heard a faint female voice. Hermione. He smiled still with his eyes shut.

Slowly he opened his eyes again, letting them get adjusted to the sunlit room and held his hand above his face to tousle his raven hair, looking back at his two best friends sitting by the side of his bed.

"Harry, merlin, you're bloody sweating like a chicken placed on top of a frying-pan" Ron mumbled, shaking his head dismissively.

And just then realization dawned upon him. He had been dreaming, yet again. It had been the same dream for the hundredth time now, ever since the war was fought. No, it wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare. Only that the nightmare had felt - oh so real. But wait, it was. It wasn't even a nightmare. It was real. He had nearly killed Draco Malfoy with his own hands, in their sixth year.

He shook his head as he rubbed away the sweat from his forhead.

"I'm fine guys. Really. It was just a random nightmare, I guess." He spoke as he tried to sit back straight by the head-board of Ron Weasley's four poster bed.

"Yeah. Now c'mmon mate, hurry up. We're going to be late for breakfast and I don't reckon Mum would be very pleased about that." Ron said with a hint of fear in his voice. Clearly he still was very terrified of Molly Weasley even though he was now eighteen years old and about to get married.

"Oh yeah, I'll be down in a minute. You guys go on. I just need to get fresh and wash my mouth. I bloody smell of sweat and pancakes!" he bellowed.

Ron snorted and patted Harry on the back. Then turning around he glanced at Hermione, cueing her to go down with him.

Hermione held up a finger at Ron who understood her gesture and swiftly hurried downstairs.

Once Hermione saw Ron's retreating back, she glanced back at Harry who looked clearly – worried?

"Harry, what's wrong?" she put a comforting hand over Harry's knee and waited expectantly for him to answer.

"I don't really know 'Mione." Harry shuddered, for the third time in the past 12 hours.

"I've been having these nightmares all summer. The same ones. To be honest, those aren't even nightmares, they're these vivid memories of-"

"HARRY!" "HERMIONE!" "COME DOWN NOW MY DEAR, WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR YOU." Molly Weasley's voice echoed from the kitchen.

Both Harry and Hermione shared a look at each other. And laughed. Surely Molly was the one dead-ass punctual mother that Ron had every right to be fearful of. As they were about to walk down, Hermione turned back at Harry giving him a look that clearly stated 'this-talk-isn't-over-yet'. Harry nodded in agreement and they both ran down.

"Just In time." Sirius greeted Harry and Hermione as they paced down towards the kitchen.

Remus gave Harry a warm hug wishing him good morning. And just then they heard Sirius animatedly sniff in his handkerchief "AWW. Finally my family has been complete." Sniff. "Look at our happy-little-family, Remy. Just look." Another longer sniff. And moments later, the burrow echoed of roars of laughter at Sirius's little drama.

Breakfast had been blissful. They had joked, laughed, shared many memories and planned for Ron's and Hermione's upcoming wedding. Fred and George had also pranked Sirius by placing magical eggnogs in his plate that had burst open and spilled everywhere over his head and face once he picked at them with his fork. Ofcourse that had been followed by a fifteen-minute-whining from the ultimate drama-queen, 'Sirius Melodramatic Black'. Yeah, that's what Remus had called him. And again the table had been filled with all sorts of laughs and giggles.

As the sun perched higher in the sky, the burrow, filled itself with activities. Harry, Ron, Ginny and the twins were all seated in the living room, discussing all the possible ways of pranking their guests at the wedding while Hermione protested at every new idea, frowing all the while as the conversation didn't quite suite her.

Remus, Sirius and Arthur had been sitting outside on the porch of the burrow, probably discussing Remus's and Sirius's future plans with Harry and their little family, or so Harry guessed. Molly was busy knitting a rather very colourful sweater all the while softly singing along a muggle song that played on the radio.

It was only when Harry, tired of been sitting in the same position for over ah hour, got up to stretch his limbs, that he saw a giant eagle owl pace down the burrow. It slid itself swiftly across the porch and made it's way into the living room through the front window. Almost a second later, Remus, Sirius and Arthur came back into the house, following the giant owl. Harry walked upto the fierce brown eagle owl wondering who it belonged to and who had sent them a letter. As he neared the owl, it lifted it's chin and stuck out it's left leg infront of Harry. Tied to it's leg was a letter. Harry took the letter from the bird and eyed it with curiosity. At once Harry felt Sirius slide behind him to take a look at the newly-arrived letter. All the other members of the burrow silently looked at Harry, eager to know what information that piece of parchment contained.

Harry opened the neatly folded parchment and saw elegant cursive handwriting downed upon it. He read it out loud so everyone could hear-

Dear Remus,

There's something you need to know. I have gathered a rather odd piece of information this morning and it has been drawn to my attention that there's a certain important matter that needs to be addressed at the ministry. And I need you to be present here as this new found information concerns you and your little family. There's a hearing at the ministry at 3 o' clock and I rather you be present there, along with your lover, Sirius and Auror Arthur. I reckon you come alone and let Potter be. He'd soon find out what the matter is anyways. And be sure you don't spill this particular information to anyone other than your swarm of weasleys.

Severus.

Harry looked up from the parchment and saw a vivid set of expression on the burrow's residents. Remus and Sirius has the same incredulous looks on their faces, while Mr. Weasley shot a worried glance to his wife and then to Remus. Molly had apparently over-heard the words and was now standing besides her husband, showing same worried expressions as him. All the other humans in the room, i.e Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins shared a look of confusion and curiosity.

And Harry? Well he didn't honestly know what he expressed.

Without much words spoken, the aurors left the burrow and flooed to the Ministry.

Molly silenced the now curious and agitated mob of children in her house and went into the kitchen, supposedly to cook lunch.

Harry flopped onto the couch beside Ron waiting for Remus and the others to return. He was growing rather impatient by every passing minute. Anxiously, he got up once again from his seat and started pacing around the room.

Ginny knew that Harry was getting anxious and nervous by the minute. She slowly pulled up behind him as he paced around and held him by his arm. Harry, being practically nervous, gasped.

"Shush, Harry. Stop running around like a madman. They'll be here soon and we'll soon find out what the matter is. It'll be alright. Don't worry." She placed her other hand onto Harry's chest to calm him down.

Harry knew she was right. And probably he was just fussing over nothing. Maybe the ministry was just holding a random hearing about some illegal use of magic outside Hogwarts and thus needed the aurors to be present there, Yeah, that was pretty much likely. But then again, why had Snape mentioned specifically not to bring Harry? He had also mentioned that whatever the matter was it has something to do with their family. What is this all about?

"Ugh" He sighed in desperation and plopped back down on the couch beside Ron, earning worried looks from six different faces. He readily ignored them and stared fretfully at the chimney from where Remus and Sirius along with Mr. Weasley were supposed to return.

A dreadfully long hour later, the chimney rustled into action. Harry, all of a sudden, on hearing the rustling sound got up from the couch and waited for the green flames to come to life. Ron and Hermione too stood up behind him and hurried towards the chimney.

A second later, the green flames appeared and Sirius dodged his way out of the floo network. He looked horrified. Mr. Weasley joined him soon enough emerging from behind. And Harry could tell from their faces that something was not right. He barged into Sirius, grabbing him painfully stiff to evulse him out of his stupor.

"Sirius. Sirius. SIRIUS!" Harry growled at him. Sirius turned to face him, his expressions suddenly going from horrified to that of compassion and pity. Harry pried his sudden change of demeanor and looked at Mr. Weasley for an explanation.

Even Mr. Weasley looked down at Harry with a glum face and Harry practically shouted –

"What is going on? Sirius? Tell me. And where, where the bloody hell is Remus?

"Harry, I'm, I'm. . we're so sorry, Harry"

"Sirius, where is Moony?" Harry asked again, trying to maintain his calm. And just when Sirius was about to open his mouth to speak, the green flames of the chimney revived to life.

Remus Lupin walked out of the floo and came to stand next to Sirius, his expression no less horrific that Sirius's. Harry plunged at him and was just about to speak when –

The green flames of the floo network activated again and all ten pairs of eyes scooted over to see who it was.

As the flames muffled down, a tall, lean body, with its back facing the room, appeared out of it.

Harry froze.

And then he heard loud gasps from across the room behind him just as the lean, pale body turned around to face the them.

With his face pointed high, pale hands smothered down in his gray pant's pockets, platinum blonde locks of hair fuzing all over his head and jet grey eyes fleeting all across the room, Draco Malfoy stood upright in front of him.

Harry shuddered, yet again. A cold shiver ran down his spine as he looked at the person standing mere inches apart from him, aghast.

Draco Malfoy.

He is alive? Draco Malfoy is alive?