'Dear Al,
Happy Christmas! I just wanted to tell you that before I break the news. I am so very sorry that I didn't tell you this sooner, but I was too afraid. Bellatrix and your cousin have been spending their time at my grandmother's beach house. Not only has the woman threatened my father, but she also threatened my mother. No one knows I have sent this, and please don't say how you got this information. Bellatrix wasn't very secretive at the Malfoy Christmas Party so I hope she thinks some other guest revealed where she was.
Please fix this. I can't do this anymore. She is absolutely horrid.
X. Scorpius'
"And you think this is legit?" Hermione asked her nephew, and he nodded. The parchment was creased, and Hermione kept folding and unfolding it.
"He's telling the truth. Scorpius values his family the most, and if his mother was in harm's way, he would be upset." Albus claimed.
This was a turn of events. If this was real, they had Bellatrix in a corner.
"We will have to go now. We have the element of surprise. If we wait for even a second, she might find out." Hermione said with conviction.
Ron and Harry had a shared look of doubt.
"Al, look, Scorpius may be your friend, but-"
"But, he's a Malfoy? Why does that matter? I trust him, Dad. And isn't this the only lead we've got? You would rather sit here and do nothing than take a chance?" Albus questioned.
Hermione looked down at the parchment.
"I am going. I have to find my daughter."
Ron reached out his hand towards her. "Hermione, the ministry-"
"I run the damn Ministry, Ron! And I'm going. You can't stop me."
The mansion was old. That was given. It looked like it hasn't been lived in for years. The surrounding sand was grey. The water was not too far away, for it thrashed violently against rocks near the cliff.
She forgot to mention the house was on a cliff.
Hermione stared at the water. They were hidden, of course, but it almost felt like Bellatrix was watching her, and only her. A hand grabbed her shoulder, making Hermione jump.
"We ought to, um, get started." Harry looked determined, but Hermione could tell, he was wary.
"We are arresting every single one of those bastards." Ron snarled, as he gripped his wand tightly.
"No, we are not. We can't create a huge commotion. Get Scarlett and arrest Bellatrix, if we can. The keyword is if. Our top priority is rescuing Scarlett."
Ron gave her a dirty look as he fiddled with a button on his robes.
"Are you ready 'Mione?"
Looking back up at the mansion that seemed to teeter on the edge of the cliff, Hermione swallowed her nerves.
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Surprisingly, they were able to get inside the house with no one catching them. No one appeared to be inside the house.
'I told you this was fake!" Ron whined.
She shushed him and looked around the corner. They were in some sort of storage cellar, with vegetables surrounding them. Harry almost tripped on a pile of carrots.
"I think I hear something."
Ron looked at her and rolled his eyes.
A silvery blonde head of hair burst into the cellar, his pale face flushed with obvious anger.
In an angry whisper, Draco said, "What the bloody hell are you doing here? Do you want your daughter killed?"
Hermione stepped forward.
"Bring us up. Say you found us, and we'll be able to ambush her."
"And if I do this, how will you survive against both Bellatrix, my mother and myself?"
Ron straightened his back. "Because you wouldn't be fighting with them. You'll bloody help us, or I'll kill you."
Harry held his hand out, blocking Ron.
"Malfoy, just get us up there. When the fighting starts, just run. Grab Scarlett and go. We'll take it from there."
Draco sighed.
"Fine. Let me, uh, tie you up down here. I'll do it loosely so you can, uh get out quickly. I won't bring you upstairs."
"Just bloody do it then! We don't need a play by play." Ron whispered urgently.
Hermione watched Draco head upstairs after he tied the rope limply around them. He gave her a look, and Hermione felt the first stab of fear.
She flinched when she heard a very loud cackle from upstairs. The gleeful laughter got closer and closer till she heard footsteps impending on the stairs.
Hermione looked down at her feet. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to look at the woman.
It wasn't until a cold hand gripped her chin and yanked her head up did she realize how bad of an idea this was.
"You didn't gag them? Aw. You were doing so well, Draco!"
Hermione felt Harry slip out of the loose bindings. Ron followed soon after. She hesitated and could feel them tapping her.
A signal.
She snapped back into reality and pulled her hands out of the loose ropes. All at once, they each had a wand in their hand and were pointing it at Bellatrix.
Bellatrix pressed her hand on her chest, in mock offense.
"Draco! You-"
He was gone.
She whipped back at them, had an actual look of fear, and booked it.
The trio followed her up the cellars stairs, through a hallway, and into a large room. Most likely the Dining Room judging by the stupidly large table.
A bewildered Narcissa and an angry Bellatrix stood them down.
"How dare you come into my sister's house without her permission! How dare you try and arrest me while I have done nothing wrong at all!"
Ron scoff was a tad over exaggerated.
"Nothing wrong? Are you bloody smoking something? You are a murderer! You a kidnapped my daughter, you absolute bitch!"
Bellatrix turned to her sister, "What's with the Weasels and calling me a bitch?"
Narcissa grabbed her sister by her shoulder.
"Bella, please. This family has-"
"So you want me to go back to that hell? You are acting no better than our traitor of a sister. I am the Head of House Black, and you are-"
"Bellatrix, Stand down," Hermione stated firmly. "I won't make you go back to Azkaban." Harry gave her a look. "I just want my daughter, please, I can make sure you don't go, after all, I run the Ministry."
The other woman narrowed her eyes.
"Why would I trust a word that comes out of your filthy Mudblood mouth?"
Hermione gripped her wand tighter.
"I could have you killed, do you want that? You brainwashed my daughter, convinced her you are some martyr and made her steal a wand that is lawfully my property just so you can, what? Cackle that you kidnapped a child? Voldemort died. The war ended. You were withering away in the muggle world, and no one cared. People want you head off your body, and I am giving you a chance to fucking save your own skin and you just antagonize me."
Bellatrix sneered. "Kill me then."
Narcissa squeaked in horror.
The room was eerily quiet and time seemed to tick no longer.
A door slowly creaked open and Scarlett was there.
Hermione cursed Draco in her head. Bastard.
"Mum? Bellatrix, I, "
"Shut up." Bellatrix hissed. "Get over here now!"
Hermione watched as her daughter glanced in between her and the Black Sisters. Narcissa held out a hand, and Scarlett practically ran towards them.
"Scarlett Minerva Granger-Weasley, you are so grounded!"
Bellatrix yanked Scarlett towards her, and in a snap, apparated away.
Hermione felt her heart drop, and her stomach flipping. She screamed until her throat couldn't make any more sound.
For every stepped they take, it seemed Bellatrix was already ten steps ahead. Yet those ten steps seemed to be her walking blindly, with no plan at all.
