Harry sighed as he pulled off his blue-wash jeans.
Octavia shouted at him from their bed. "I won't fucking do it!"
"We all have our jobs, O." Harry replied, his back to her as he pulled off his t-shirt. "There are dangers in this war. You chose to be a part of it."
"He knew who I was!" Octavia yelled, her hazel eyes alight with anger. A purple bruise shining on her jaw, her lip cut and swollen.
"You must have given yourself away," Harry sighed, turning to face his enraged girlfriend. The girlfriend he loved dearly. He just wasn't in love with her. And he wasn't sure he ever had been. Merely blinded by lust and her deceptive innocence.
"I didn't!" Octavia cried in exasperation. "It was going well and then he just came over. He just knew!"
"Ginny was never recognised. She never failed on the missions." Harry muttered, pulling on his sweatpants.
Octavia flinched at his words, as though he had struck her. Pain stabbing through her heart. He thinned his lips, regretting his words instantly.
"Octavia," Harry spoke softly, crawling onto the bed. "I understand that you're frightened. We all are. And if you don't want to do it anymore, then I won't make you."
"So …" Octavia furrowed her brows. "I … don't have to be the Black Widow anymore?"
"No," Harry shook his head, his hand cupping her bruised face gently. "But you have to come to terms with the fact that we are all in danger. Whether you are merely observing them, or interacting with them. It's dangerous."
"I know that, Harry." Octavia clipped, raising her chin slightly. Feeling patronised. "But that was scary. He could have killed me."
Harry nodded thoughtfully before placing a soft kiss on her lips. She stayed still, her narrow eyes piercing into his face. Then, when he pulled away, she clambered off the bed and stormed out of the room.
Octavia scowled as she entered the living room, the warmth from the roaring fireplace greeting her body instantly. She smiled as she spotted her sister in their usual spot; on the rug in front of the grand fireplace. Hermione looking rather pensive as she watched the flames lick and lap at each other.
Perfect. Octavia was feeling particularly foul following her conversation with Harry, and who better to take it out on than her sister?
"You look like a Yeti," Octavia smirked, dropping to the rug beside her sister.
"What?" Hermione frowned.
"Seriously," Octavia tilted her head as she eyed her sister's wild curls. "When was the last time your mane has seen a brush?"
"I'm not in the mood for this, O." Hermione sighed, her sad eyes fixed on the flames.
Octavia shrugged, snatching the hot chocolate out of her sister's hands before sipping at it leisurely.
"What's up your ass, then?" Octavia asked, licking the frothy milk from her upper lip.
"Nothing," Hermione frowned.
Octavia smirked, nudging her sister on the arm. "You really shouldn't lie. Your nose is big enough as it is."
"You read way too many fairy-tales," Hermione scowled, her eyes fixed on the flames.
"They're fun," Octavia shrugged, sipping at the mug of hot chocolate.
"You're twenty-three years old," Hermione scowled, eyeing her sister with apparent judgement.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious." Octavia rolled her eyes. "Good to know that you can count."
"Have a fight with Harry?" Hermione asked, assessing her sister's bitchy mood.
Octavia shrugged lightly, not responding.
"Did you tell him?" Hermione pressed. "About Malfoy?"
"Yeah," Octavia nodded, thinning her lips slightly. All of a sudden, very aware of the bruising on her face.
"What did he say?"
"That war is dangerous."
"It is," Hermione nodded. "But he doesn't expect you to continue with the assignments, right?"
"No," Octavia shook her head. "I'm not doing them anymore."
"Good," Hermione smiled. Knowing that her sister just wasn't cut out for the job.
"He compared me to her," Octavia whispered, her eyes on the hot chocolate that she stole from her sister. "To Ginny."
Hermione thinned her lips as she eyed her sister. O was evidently upset by it, but not overly hurt. It didn't surprise Hermione.
Harry and Octavia had been together for many years, Harry fawning over the pretty blonde since they had met when they were thirteen. But when Octavia finally gave into his flirtations, over time he distanced himself emotionally. Realising that he wasn't so fond of her after all. The more Octavia revealed her true self to him, the more he found himself turned off. All the while, Ginny grew into a strong and fiery woman, ready to take on the world. Harry finding that he was drawn to that, rather than Octavia's whinging and pouts.
But the times they found themselves in were dark and frightening. So Octavia and Harry remained together, despite their lack of love. Despite their cracking relationship. Purely out of the need for comfort during the war.
But Hermione felt the need to lie to her sister. To comfort her.
"He's just stressed out about tomorrow," Hermione lied, smiling softly at her sister.
"What's happening tomorrow?" Octavia frowned, meeting her sister's eyes.
"We're going to Balloch in the morning," Hermione frowned. "Didn't he tell you?"
"No," Octavia scowled. "No, he didn't."
"Oh," Hermione bit her lip. "Well, we're going to Salazar Slytherin's castle. We think there might be a Horcrux there."
"Must have slipped his mind." Octavia spat with sarcasm.
"Don't be so hard on him, O." Hermione sighed. "You never know when it will be the last time you see him."
Octavia blanched, feeling guilty at her indignation. Scolding herself as she was still furious with Harry. But Hermione was right. Something could go wrong at any moment. Anyone could die on a mission. Everyone was in danger. So she should bottle up her anger and save it all up for when they won the war. If … If they won the war.
It wasn't looking good for the light side at this point. They barely had any leads on the last two Horcruxes, and their people were dying left, right and centre. Only yesterday they had lost Dean Thomas and Padma Patil. And they weren't even on a mission! They were in a marketplace in London, merely shopping for food. Unlucky for them, Death Eaters spotted them.
It hardly surprised Octavia though. Death Eaters were everywhere. Their ranks growing and strengthening at a terrifying rate. Swarming the country. Attacking muggles, destroying towns.
'Bombings' is what the News Stations were saying. Acts of terrorism. They were half right. It was terrorism. But it wasn't bombs. The sheer violence and brutality of the attacks left nothing but debris in their wake. But it was all curses and assaults. Not bombs.
The only reason the Order was remaining relatively strong and ongoing at that moment, was due to their spy. Their double agent. Blaise Zabini. Without his constant aid and assistance, they would have numbers in the low twenties. Not the high sixties.
All in all, Blaise Zabini was saving them. But it just wasn't enough.
"Who's going on the mission tomorrow?" Octavia asked, breaking the contemplative silence between the sisters.
"Harry, Ron and I." Hermione answered, watching as her sister finished off the hot chocolate.
"Oh," Octavia nodded, feeling a little left out. Something she definitely wasn't used to.
"Don't worry," Hermione smiled at her sister, mistaking O's rejected expression for concern. "We won't be gone long."
"You don't know that," Octavia frowned, thinking her sister positively stupid at that moment. "You never know what could happen, you said it yourself."
"Blaise spoke with Harry about it at the meeting today," Hermione sighed. "He said there are wards in place around the castle, alerting Malfoy instantly if they are tampered with."
"Ok," Octavia smiled sarcastically. "That's so comforting."
Hermione rolled her eyes at her sister.
"Blaise told Harry the exact wards that were used on the castle." Hermione explained. "We know the counter spells already. We can dismantle them in less than a minute, giving us twenty-nine minutes to locate the Horcrux."
"If there's even a Horcrux in the castle." Octavia frowned.
"There wouldn't be that many wards in place, all directly linked to Voldemort's right hand man if there wasn't a Horcrux there." Hermione replied, her brown orbs alight with hope.
"Why twenty-nine minutes?" Octavia frowned.
"That's how long it will take for Malfoy to respond to the alarm." Hermione smiled. "You can't apparate into the area, you have to apparate into Succoth. Then catch the train to Balloch."
"But if you take all the wards down –"
"Not the apparation wards." Hermione interrupted. "We have to leave them in place. It's the only thing that gives us time."
"Oh," Octavia nodded, feeling slightly relieved. Her fear for her sister still burned within her, but Hermione was a strong witch. Capable of defending herself if need be. But Octavia just had a bad feeling.
Perhaps it was her own encounters with Malfoy that had her frightened for her sister. Perhaps it was reading the man's file, knowing the things that he had done. Knowing the cruelty in the man. Whatever it was, Octavia just couldn't shake it.
She just felt like something wasn't right.
Octavia furrowed her brows as she sat underneath the desk in the main study, papers sprawled out on the floor. She sat cross-legged in shorts and a white tank top, dressed for bed. But she wasn't prepared to go to sleep yet. She needed to check his file once more. She didn't know why. She just felt the need to.
Draco Lucius Malfoy – HIGH RISK.
Age: 24
Blood: Pureblood
Status: Second-in-command to Voldemort; Heir.
Initiation Age: 17
Initiation Requirements: Assassination of Albus Dumbledore and Lucius Malfoy. Repairing Vanishing Cabinet in Room of Requirements.
Known Duties:
1.Leading Raids
2.Political Negotiations
3.Supervision of Death Eater Ranks
4.Recruitment
5.Interrogations
6.Torture
7.Assassination
8.Protection of Voldemort's Possessions
Kill Rate: Est. 200 – 300; predominantly muggles in massacres.
Notable Assassinations:
1.Albus Dumbledore – First Assassination
2.Severus Snape – Retaliation for Treachery
3.Lucius Malfoy – Retaliation for Weakness
4.Pansy Parkinson – Personal Reasons (Unknown)
5.Neville Longbottom – Hogwarts Battle
6.Parvati Patil – Hogwarts Battle
7.Bill Weasley – Hogwarts Battle
8.Arthur Weasley – Hogwarts Battle
9.Rubeus Hagrid – Hogwarts Battle
10.Ginny Weasley (Suspected) – Unknown at this Stage.
Specialties:
1.Torture
2.Interrogation
3.Occlumency
4.Legilimency
5.Wandless Magic
6.Non-Verbal Magic
7.Dark Arts
8.Potions (Medical and Torturous.)
9.Creating Spells; Variations of the cruciatus curse (mental and emotional agony).
10.Dream Manipulations
11.Inventions
12.Perceptibility
13.Superior Intellect
14.Parsletongue
Signature Characteristics and Methods:
1.Torture before assassination
2.Massacres
3.Rape
4.Humiliation
5.Imperius Curse
6.Inferi Curse
Draco Lucius Malfoy has, since birth, been taught blood superiority under the parenting of two Death Eaters, Narcissa Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy. During his youth, D. Malfoy showed no desire to reassess his beliefs, instead voicing them proudly. He is responsible for the majority of Slytherin students at Hogwarts joining the first Hogwarts Battle, due to his influence in pureblood society. D. Malfoy takes immense pleasure in the torturing and killing of innocents, regardless of blood status. He is well-versed in the Dark Arts, later disposing of his tutors Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. No remorse or hesitation is apparent with these crimes. The Death Eater is Voldemort's most trusted follower, awarding him with the sole responsibility of shielding and protecting several Dark items. At present, the Order is aware of the Gryffindor Sword in the Malfoy vault at Gringotts, as well as the suspected Horcrux in Salazar Slytherin's castle in Balloch, Scotland.
Draco Lucius Malfoy has been known to never show mercy to any person of any blood status. Update: Draco Malfoy has encountered the muggle, Octavia Granger, in the ranks of The Order of The Phoenix. It has been noted that the Death Eater attacked the muggle on this occasion, however allowed Miss Granger to escape. Reasons for this act of mercy are unknown at this stage.
Octavia frowned as she slammed the file closed, tossing it onto the floor. Disgust shining in her eyes, bile rising in her throat. Questions swarming her mind.
She was the only person he had ever let go. And she had no idea why.
Perhaps he found some sick and twisted form of entertainment in allowing her to escape. Twice. A game of cat and mouse.
She was definitely the mouse in that scenario.
Octavia climbed into bed beside a slumbering Harry, careful not to wake him. A part of her wanted nothing more than to hold him as he slept, or for him to hold her. But she was far too angry with her sleeping lover at that moment. He had not told her about the mission they were departing for in the early morning. Despite its dangers.
And she hated him for it. But she felt the need for his touch all the same. Needing him to comfort her and promise that it will all be ok in the end.
To feel soothed by his words. Something that had not transpired between the pair in many months.
Regardless, Octavia knew there were dangers that he would face the very next day. So she shimmied over to him in the bed, her hand cupping his face as he slept soundly. Her hazel eyes drinking in his messy appearance. Observing his dishevelled black hair, each and every strand out of place. Much like hers at that moment. His mouth agape slightly as he drooled. She frowned. Gross. Not caring that she drooled in her sleep too. It was only gross when other people did it. Right? Right.
She thinned her lips as she frowned at her sleeping lover. Hesitantly placing a kiss on his warm cheek. He shifted slightly, his hand wiping at his cheek. She scowled.
Octavia hummed atrociously as she rummaged through the sparse contents of the refrigerator, Cho glaring at the back of her head.
"Oh, shut up!" Cho hissed, throwing a piece of toast at the muggle girl.
"You're just jealous," Octavia grinned, slamming the refrigerator door closed. "Because I have the voice of an angel."
"You sound like a strangled cat, O." Cho laughed, watching as Octavia stuck up the finger in response.
Octavia sighed as she jumped up onto the kitchen counter, swinging her legs leisurely as she glanced around the empty room. Boredom devouring her very being, considering most of the residents of Grimmauld Place were out on missions that day. Including her sister and lover. On a mission that Harry hadn't told her about. She just woke up to find him gone. No note, nothing!
"Wanna sneak out?" Octavia asked quietly, her eyes alight with mischief.
"Where?" Cho asked, her best friend catching her full attention instantly.
"Dunno," Octavia shrugged, her face scrunched up as she thought. "Somewhere that there won't be any Death Eaters."
"Hmm," Cho hummed, tapping her fork against her plate absentmindedly. "Seamus said that Surrey was pretty quiet last week."
"Sounds boring," Octavia frowned.
"They have a shopping centre," Cho smirked.
"And I'm sold!" Octavia grinned, jumping off the kitchen counter. "Get ready, biatch. We only have a couple of hours."
Cho grinned as she stood, both girls eyeing each other sternly. Ready to perform their regular ritual before they would sneak out.
"3," Octavia said, her eyes locked with Cho's.
"2," Cho smirked, her eyes flickering to the open kitchen door.
"1!" Octavia shouted, both girls taking off at a run, racing each other up the grand staircase to their separate bedrooms.
Always playing the same game before they would sneak out. Trying to beat each other in getting ready the fastest. Octavia always lost. But she insisted that it wasn't her fault, each and every time. For she was sure Cho cheated, using magic to aid her in dressing and doing her hair. Something that Octavia had to do the muggle way.
So Octavia never admitted her defeat. Cho was a cheater, end of story.
Draco and Blaise stood on the platform, watching as the train rode into the station. The Death Eaters had been enjoying dinner in Milan before the alarm had been brought to Draco's attention by Pinky, his preferred house-elf. Forcing the two Death Eaters to reluctantly return to their duties under the Dark Lord's command.
"I would assume that it is the Golden Trio." Blaise predicted, watching as the train came to a complete stop before them.
"Your filthy mudblood." Draco drawled. "Again."
Blaise hummed in response as they boarded the train.
"I wonder," Draco drawled, eying his friend intently. "Will she escape your clutches once more?"
Blaise knew exactly what Draco was asking. Would Blaise interfere again? Would he save the Granger girl? He knew the answer. And he spoke it honestly.
"No." Blaise clipped as the train began to move.
Draco remained stoic as he assessed his friend, nodding once as he recognised Blaise's honesty. The mudblood would not make it back to the Order's headquarters. Something that slotted in perfectly with Draco's brewing scheme.
"What of her sister?" Draco asked coolly, his eyes flickering around the compartment.
"Octavia Granger," Blaise spoke, eying his friend curiously, placing his hand on the balance pole. "What of her?"
"Perhaps she will be there," Draco mused, his tone cool and indifferent.
"Doubtful," Blaise clipped, watching as his friend observed the dirty balance pole with distaste.
Draco hummed, but his eyes swarmed with something. Something that Blaise had not seen in those cold grey orbs before. Something he did not recognise.
"You said she was unlike Granger," Draco drawled, his eyes fixed on a crying baby cradled in the arms of its mother. It was irritating him. Just one flick of the hand...
"Very different," Blaise spoke, watching his friend curiously. "In appearance and personality."
"And what do you know of her personality?" Draco asked coldly, his eyes flickering to his friend's dark orbs. Both of them in that very moment recognising Blaise's familiarity with the muggle girl. Acknowledging Blaise's interactions with the Order. The first time Draco had mentioned any hint to his treachery.
"Superficial," Blaise clipped, his dark eyes locked onto grey orbs. "Seemingly sweet and innocent, but manipulative and spoilt. Naïve, silly and selfish."
Draco nodded once, his eyes flickering back to the screaming baby.
"What does she like?" Draco asked, his cold grey eyes fixed on the screaming baby.
"I do not know much of her interests," Blaise drawled, shrugging lightly. "But what I do know is that she is particularly fond of sweets. Quite the glutton, actually. Apparently she enjoys reading, but her intellect fails her. So she reads simple novels."
Draco nodded, his cold eyes locked onto the baby cradled in its mothers arms as she cooed, attempting to soothe the child's distress.
"Why the interest?" Blaise asked, chancing his luck with his cold comrade. Distracting Draco from killing the baby and mother in the compartment. Draco didn't respond.
"She is Harry's lover," Blaise added, assessing his friend intently. "For four years, I believe."
Draco didn't respond. He merely clenched his jaw, his fists scrunching as his eyes darkened into molten silver orbs.
This concerned Blaise. For he was sure, in that very moment, that the hunter had his sights set on new prey. And that prey just so happened to be Hermione's sister. It could be problematic for him. For his own plans.
The plans he had in place for Hermione Granger that day. Feeding the Order false time estimations, purely for the purpose of his scheme. For she caused him too much grief.
She had to be taken care of.
Removed.
Cho and Octavia crept through the front door of Grimmauld Place, ensuring that they wouldn't be heard. They had taken a little longer than they had planned to, becoming distracted by a pair of handsome muggle boys.
Octavia hadn't really cheated on Harry, she merely welcomed the attention the muggle boys were provided her with. And Cho, of course.
Nothing transpired of the encounter, however. Octavia wouldn't cheat on Harry. And she was certain that he would not cheat on her. He was much too loyal for that. So she paid him the same respect. Despite her desire to entertain the muggle guy, she daren't.
"Snuck out again?" A voice sang through the foyer.
Octavia sighed in relief. It was just Luna.
Octavia shrugged. "We could have sworn we saw Nargles earlier, so we went out to buy some Radishes to keep them away."
"That's nice," Luna smiled dreamily, ignorant of Cho's snickering. "We'll place one in every room."
"Good thinking," Octavia nodded, grinning widely.
"Did they steal your clothes?" Luna asked, her blue eyes flickering between the countless boutique shopping bags in the hands of Cho and Octavia.
"Yeah," Octavia sighed sadly. "And a lot of my shoes. So annoying. Had to replace everything!"
"That's a shame," Luna sang. "Where are the Radishes?"
"In here," Cho smiled, raising a bag in her hand. That bag hadn't been there moments before. Sneaky little witch, Octavia thought.
"Lovely," Luna chimed, taking the bag from Cho's hand. "I will spread them around the house before the Nargles take any more belongings."
"Good idea," Octavia nodded. "Oh and Luna? Best not to tell Harry about this … he really hates Nargles. Gets him all upset."
"Ok," Luna smiled.
"Cool," Octavia grinned before taking off at a run up the staircase, Cho by her side.
Eager to hide the shopping bags as quickly as possible before Hermione or Harry spotted them. That wouldn't be good.
Of course, the girls had planned on arriving back at Grimmauld Place before the others. But Octavia was certain that the Golden Trio would be back by now. So she had to hide the shopping bags quickly.
She couldn't be bothered with the consequences of sneaking out, really.
She was in a good mood, and daren't let anything spoil it.
Especially not her over-protective sister, and her hot-and-cold boyfriend.
Feeling thoroughly relaxed from her dose of retail therapy, Octavia skipped down the staircase happily. An equally as pleased Cho by her side. They jumped down the last three stairs in perfect unison, landing on the ground of the foyer.
"My landing was better," Cho grinned smugly as Octavia stumbled a bit.
"Fluke," Octavia mumbled, eyeing her white stilettos as though they had betrayed her. "It's my new shoes."
Cho rolled her eyes at her friend, just as the front door to the house opened. Harry and Ron, covered in blood, barged in. Hermione wasn't with them… Octavia's gaze, filled with questions, found Harry's. But in his green eyes was the answer she didn't want.
They wore Hermione's blood.