Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns HP universe.

Chapter 7

Six months later.

The Auror Department was still no wiser on the location of the Lestranges or to the identity of the spy. Over seventy arrests had been made, but most of the perpetrators were muggles under the imperius curse. In fact, they had only caught another eight actual death eaters over the course of six months. The only thing they knew for certain was that all of the remaining death eaters seemed to be organized toward a common goal, and they seemed to have plans for something big.

Although the nature of that something was unknown, it was obviously something undesireable and it brought an increased unease to the department. With summer fast approaching and no clues to whom the spy could be, the department was in a frenzy. Not only were there still no clues to who the spy was, but what was this spys task? And what was it the spy would be getting come summer? If only the department knew that they would soon be too late to stop him.

Harry and Draco had become closer as both partners and friends over the past several months. Even the banter between Ron and Draco had become more friendly in nature instead of hateful. Draco had even started to join the Weasleys for a weekly dinner night; He was effectively one of the group. Shortly after Easter, the minister had deemed that Draco was officially trustworthy, and was given a full pardon; no more parole necessary. It was as if he was fully redeemed for taking the Dark Mark when he was sixteen.

What was unfortunate for Draco was that Hermione was still dating Viktor Krum. According to rumors, they were becoming more serious than Harry had anticipated. Harry told Draco that after the war Hermione went to find her parents and had discovered that they had adopted a 9 year old girl. Hermione couldn't bring herself to give them back their memories because that would conflict with their new life. Instead of being selfish, Hermione gave them up so they could live a happy life with their new daughter. She was heartbreakingly an orphan now. Her family was now the Weasleys and Harry. This had left her with a hole in her heart she was trying desperately to fill. It was seemed as if she was trying to replace her parents love for Viktors.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the last Friday in June, and Hermione and Ginny would be graduating the next morning. Harry and Draco were in their office trying to fill out some last minute paperwork before the weekend.

"Did you want to come to the graduation ceremony with the Weasleys and I?" Harry asked.

Draco thought about it for a moment. "I can't actually, Theo is being released from the mental ward tomorrow and I am escorting him home."

"Oh yeah that's right." Harry responded. "Well you can always join us for the celebration party tomorrow night."

Draco nodded. "I think it would insult Arthur if I didn't, although I'm not too fond of having to watch Krum hang all over Granger."

"If it makes you feel any better, she always wears that necklace you got her." Harry attempted to make him feel better.

Dracos face lit up. "Oh, really?"

Harry chuckled, "Every time I met them in Hogsmeade I could see it hanging from her neck."

Draco leaned back in his chair with his cocky smirk plastered on his face. "Well I guess I'll have to go and see it for myself….okay tell Molly I will be there."

Draco was in a good mood for the rest of the day. This made Harry chuckle every time he looked up and saw the grin on Draco's face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning, Draco went to St. Mungo's and strolled directly into Theo's room. He had become well acquainted with it over the past few months. Blaise was already there helping Theo straighten his robes. It was good for him to finally be able to wear his own clothes again instead of the mandatory hospital clothing.

"Are you ready to finally go home?" Draco asked.

"You have no idea." Theo responded with a smirk.

"I think we are just waiting on the mediwitch to come in with the final paperwork." Blaise said.

"Well it looks like we have a little bit of time to wait then." Theo said as he turned to talk to Draco. "I wanted to tell you about something I remembered recently. Something that I have a feeling is important that I tell you."

Draco looked confused but nodded. "What is it?"

"When I was with the Lestranges last fall they always had a dagger. I didn't really think anything of it until last night, but recently I've began to think that the dagger is very important to them."

Draco thought about what Theo was saying for a moment before responding. "What did the dagger look like?"

"It was black metal with an emerald encrusted handle…and it had the word reficio engraved on it as well. Why? Does that mean anything to you?" Theo asked.

Draco nodded. "Yes actually…I think that dagger belonged to my Aunt Bella….but she's dead. Rodolphus probably just keeps it as a memento. Right?"

"I have no idea man, I just had a feeling that it was information I should give you to help with your investigation." Theo responded. "What you do with it is up to you."

"Thank you Theo, I will keep this information in mind as we try to find patterns in our investigations."

They were interrupted by the mediwitch coming in to give Theo his parting terms. He would have to return once every two weeks for a psych healer to evaluate him and make sure he was still on the right track. He would also have to attend a once a month group therapy session that had been set up for people who had PTSD from the war.

A half an hour later they had made it to Theo's estate, and Draco was setting up special wards that would alert the ministry to known death eaters entering the properties. It was placed along with several other wards that were part of his parole bargain.

"I have been thinking about it Theo." Draco finally spoke up after casting his last ward, "and I need to know if they were doing anything with that dagger. Were they using it for something? Did they ever let any information about the dagger slip?"

Theo looked deep in thought for a moment before responding. "Well they didn't say why they had it or anything but they always had it when they were looking at the clues for Voldemort's cauldron. I personally think that whatever they were needing that cauldron for, they need the dagger as well."

Draco's eyes widened at the revelation. 'What could they need a specific cauldron for that they also need my aunts dagger for as well?' he asked himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That evening Draco apparated to The Burrow for the graduation party for Hermione and Ginny. Upon entering through the front door, he saw a giant banner that said 'Congratulations Ginny and Hermione' hanging above the entrance into the dining area. It had animated griffins that would roar every so often on it and they were wearing graduation caps.

He stepped in a little further and took in the surroundings and the people in the room. There was a mountain of food covering every inch of the dining table, and everyone had resorted to standing around with plates in their hands. Ron had the largest and fullest plate and had grouped up with George, Bill, and Fleur. Molly was fussing over Charlie and his slightly too long hair and newest tattoo, Charlie looked both amused and a little scared. Arthur and Percy were filling their plates at the table and talking over a new ministry security procedure.

Molly looked up at hearing the front door closed. "Glad you could join us." She said. "Eat up, there's more than enough."

He had gotten used to this treatment from Molly over the past seven months and knew he had never eaten better in his life. He had also gained more than ten pounds from it. He nodded with a smile and grabbed a plate. As he was filling it with his favorite things, he heard a laugh and looked up into the living room. She was sitting on the sofa sandwiched between Potter and Krum. She was wearing a white sundress with her loose curls cascading down her back, she was laughing at something Potter said. She threw her head back as her laugh echoed into the dining room where he was. He could see the necklace he had given her secured around her neck and a smirk grew on his face. It was short lived when Krum placed his hands on her shoulders and started rubbing her exposed flesh, making Draco's smirk change to a scowl.

He hadn't realized he had shoveled more than half of the potatoes onto his plate until Arthur laughed, "Save some for the rest of us would you."

Draco looked down and huffed. "Sorry I was lost in thought." He dumped almost all of them back into the bowl on the table.

Arthur grinned knowing full well what had him distracted. "Everything go okay with Nott today?"

Draco moved onto the shepherds pie and dished a small helping onto his plate. "Yes, he is settled, all the wards are up and he even mentioned a bit more information he remembered."

Arthurs face turned serious, "Really, What is it?"

"Apparently there is a dagger that belonged to my Aunt Bella that the Lestranges have. He thinks it is just as important as the cauldron Voldemort used for his resurrection." Draco responded. "You don't think they are trying to resurrect old Voldy again do you?"

Arthur bit his lip and pondered all of the details. "Surely not. All of his horcruxes were destroyed, and Harry's scar hasn't even tingled once since he was killed last year." Arthur stayed silent for a moment before asking his next question. "Can you talk to your father? See if he has any information that could shed some light on these revelations."

Draco nodded. "He is out of the country with my mother until the seventeenth, but as soon as he gets back I will ask him."

"It definitely can't be Voldemort, I would have felt it if there was anything left of him to come back. He is definitely gone for good." Harry said as the rest of the group from the living room finally came to grab food from the massive feast on the table.

"Maybe they haff a different use for this cauldron. One that doesn't involf resurrection." Krum chimed in.

Draco really wanted to sneer at him but fought the temptation. Krum shoud keep his theories to himself.

"If Voldemort is really gone then there must be a different use for that cauldron." Hermione suggested. "Maybe they need to brew a special potion in it to recreate his power?"

"That is an interesting theory." Draco responded and looked into her eyes for the first time since their conversation in the hospital. "Using old moldy Voldy bits to brew a special potion."

She snorted at his phrasing and he winked at her as she shook her head.

Krum stepped a little closer to her and gave Draco a nasty look as he slid his arm around her waist.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After dinner, Molly started to clean while the men and Ginny started a game of exploding snap. Draco lost first and went out onto the back porch where Hermione was reading a book.

"I heard you got the best NEWT scores in over a century." He said as he sat on the porch swing across from her.

She looked up and nodded. "With fourteen different job offers." She said cockily.

"Well I guess I'll have to get you a new necklace that says super smart badass witch."

She giggled, took the necklace off and tossed it to him. "Just get this one re-engraved."

He stared at it and rubbed it noticing that it still smelled like her. "So which of those fourteen offers did you decide on?" He asked as he pocketed the necklace.

"The Care and Regulation of Magical Creatures Department." She responded as she closed her book. "I start on Monday."

"So we will be on the same floor it seems."

"Yes, Viktor wanted me to take the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts position in the lowest level." She scoffed. "He said I could help with the way the ministry deals with muggles because I lived as one for the first eleven years of my life. Also because I know more about them than most wizards. I thought about it for a while because he made a good point, but I want to help creatures and half breeds who are discriminated against. I have always loved animals and I want to do something that helps the creatures I genuinely care about…not that I don't care about muggles."

"So you will take spew into your career after all." He said with a smirk.

She looked a bit offended and crossed her arms over her chest. "First off, it's S.P.E.W. and not spew. Secondly, I have come to terms that house elves for the most part love their masters. As long as they are treated nicely I will not force clothes on them. Thirdly, I am more worried about Goblins, centaurs, and werewolves right now."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was only kidding." He said while shaking his head. "I thought we were friends now…and friends joke with each other right?"

"I think you shouldn't talk about my girlfriends knickers Malfoy." A Bulgarian accent said from behind him. "Herm-own-ninny I think Molly wanted to see you inside." He said as he sat next to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek making it difficult for Draco to not scowl.

"Oh okay, I'll be right back then." She said as she stood up and walked into the house, leaving the two boys to eye each other distastefully.

Krum spoke up first. "I don't like the vay you look at her."

"And?" Draco responded sarcastically.

Krum gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "I vant you to stay avay from her."

"Hmm, let me think about that." Draco said rudely. "I am friends and partners with her best friend, her other best friend is another friend of mine and his dad is my boss, and come Monday we will be working on the same floor in the ministry…I couldn't stay away from her even if I wanted to."

"Vell I guess I vill just haff to make it harder for her to be around those people then." Viktor replied. "I vill be asking her to move in vith me in next month anyvay."

Draco sighed and stood up. "Good luck on that."

"You are very strange Malfoy. Vhy vould you vish me good luck on getting more serious vith the girl you obviously fancy?" Viktor asked curiously.

Draco looked him straight in the eyes, pausing for a bit before giving him an answer. "Because I am going to be coming for her with everything I have now."