A/N: Hey everyone! This is one of my favourite chapters so far, so I hope you like it too! Tell me if you don't- all you have to do is REVIEW!

DISCLAIMER: WHY, WHY must you constantly torture me? If I owned Harry Potter, would I be sitting here, writing FANFICTIONS?

Chapter Nine

(Lily Potter)

I sat alone at my favourite spot by the lake, under the shade of a huge beech tree. As I watched the sun sinking behind the peaks of the huge mountains, I thought, not of the exams that had finished that day, but of my cousin. As little as I wanted to admit it, I missed Hugo, but I was too stubborn. I wouldn't apologise, because I'd done nothing wrong: I still believed that dating the prat was a big mistake: I mean, what would she want with him? How can those two even have any genuine bond? But I was beginning to think that maybe it wasn't worth fighting with Hugo over this. But I didn't know what to say to him; what if he asked if I'd forgiven him? Did I have an answer to that question? What if he refused to talk to me, after my extreme reaction?

I sighed at the darkness that had enveloped me; I could not be outside after dusk, so I got up and took the most elaborate path I could think of to get to the oak front doors. As I passed by Hagrid's hut, I thought I heard something rustle at the edge of the forest, but I couldn't see anything. Automatically I sped up, knowing the type of creatures that lived in the forest; I had no desire to meet them.

A high-pitched shriek punctured the silence of the night. I whipped around, lighting the tip of my wand, but there was nothing to find. I glanced at Hagrid's hut, but the lights were out: he wasn't there. I judged my options: no Hagrid, so no immediate help; by the time I raised the alarm in the castle, it could be too late. I decided to venture into the forest and take my chances.

At the very edge, I had a sudden thought: what if it was just a battle between two animals? I didn't want to get into that. But the sound had seemed awfully humane to me and I couldn't, in good conscience, walk away with people in possible danger.

'Help! HELP! Somebody, help us!' This voice was not only human, but also known; I charged into the forest without a second thought.

'Hugo!' I screamed, breaking off the branches ahead of me, trying to find signs of humans in the narrow beam of wand light. 'Hugo! Where are you?' I heard rustling movement near me and immediately pointed my wand in that direction. I thought I saw the edge of a cloak disappear through the corner of my eyes, but the majority of my mind focused on the sickening vision in front of me. Hugo sat, hunched over a body, blood as scarlet as his hair pouring from a gash on his forehead. I stumbled closer to him and he looked up at the light.

'Lily,' he sobbed. 'Lily! No! Not you! They'll hurt you too! No! Go away!' I stared at the body in his arms. The beautiful blonde hair was stained shockingly red. I brushed the hair away to see the delicate face of Malfoy barely recognisable: there were deep gashes across her cheeks and forehead and her arms, left bare by the ripped sleeves, were mangled and bloody. Her normally pale face was parched white; she had lost so much blood! I removed my hand from her face and placed it over my mouth as nausea hit me at the sight of the pool of blood below Hugo's outstretched legs.

More rustling movement behind me alerted me to the meaning of Hugo's words. Who had done this to them? I turned around shakily to see two faces, one male and one female, leering at me out of the darkness. I felt the blood drain from my face as all the history I had ever read, the stories I had heard from my parents hit me in a dizzying blow. I knew the man; but it was impossible. He was supposed to be thousands of miles away, in Azkaban…How could he be here?

The female grinned evilly at the terror mixed with rage that showed plainly on my face as I stood up in front of my cousin and his girlfriend. 'Well, well, well, Fenrir,' she said, her voice a high soprano that sent shivers down my spine. 'It seems we've found another redheaded Weasley for our collection. How… delightful.'

The werewolf growled and stroked my cheek with a long, dirty nail. 'And she's pretty too,' he growled. He sounded truly pleased.

'Don't touch me!' I screeched, slapping his hand away from me in disgust.

'Brave too, Sophia,' he added.

'Foolishly so,' chuckled the woman. I couldn't fit her with anyone I'd ever met, or heard about, yet she seemed strikingly familiar, with her angular features and long, silky blonde hair. Who was she? How had these two appeared so close to Hogwarts? And what did they want?

The woman seemed to know what I was thinking, and answered. 'Well, little Weasley, we're here to kill Harry Potter.'

My head felt like it would explode: Dad? I should've known. I decided not to tell them I was his daughter. Better let them think me a Weasley, if that could save us. I concentrated on the werewolf, afraid that the woman would use Legimency against me. 'Well, then I'm assuming your after his children?'

'Smart, aren't you, girl?' she chided.

'Why d'you want Potter? How's he going to help you?' I inquired. I knew I had to keep them talking, I just didn't know why. There was no way out of this. I couldn't fight off two adults single-handedly, or make a run for it, not with Hugo and Malfoy with me. I was doomed, but I would go down fighting.

'We must fulfil our master's final desire, must we not?' she said. 'And besides, we must find out about those mentioned in the final proph-' she seemed to catch herself and smiled. 'Why d'you want to know, little one? You're delaying tactic will not help you. We can finish you any time we want, and those two lovebirds as well, and move on to the castle.'

I knew she was right. I drew myself to the fullest height. 'Go for it, then,' I said, knowing that I had no other choice.

The woman and Fenrir exchanged thrilled looks, and I felt a chill creep down my back again. 'You know,' she said, cocking her head to one side. 'Killing you actually distresses me. You're quite the little wildcat aren't you, love?' She gave a bone-chilling laugh and stroked my hair. I shrugged her off and cast a Stunner at her, hitting her squarely on the face. Before her body hit the ground, I felt a heavy mass pin me down. I screamed at the top of my voice before a long-nailed hand constricted on my throat, blocking my wind-pipe. My breath came in painful pants and I gave up squirming; the werewolf was too heavy and too strong. He stroked my cheek again, drawing it out, slowly. My body shivered in revulsion, but I could do nothing more to help myself.

'Pity,' said Greyback, his hot breath blowing on my exposed neck. 'You would be quite a beauty in a few years. Oh well,' I felt his lips against my neck and shuddered. 'I'll enjoy myself now, shall I?'

'I don't think so,' said an icy voice behind Greyback. Greyback barely got time to lift his head before a red bolt of light hit him; I groaned as his full weight fell on me. I tried pushing him off, to no avail. I felt the relief before I saw Greyback levitated off me, but I couldn't move. Snowy-white hands gripped me gently and pulled me up; the sudden rush of blood throughout my body had me dizzy for a few seconds before I got my bearings.

'Malfoy,' I muttered, looking up at him. 'What? How did you find us?'

'Later,' he said, shortly. He seemed satisfied that I was speaking again, so he left me and dropped to his knees beside Hugo. I watched him stroke his sister the way I had; he and Hugo looked up at me, and I saw the same deep sorrow echoed in their eyes. 'We have to get them out of here before the two lunatics wake up again,' he said.

I chanced a glance at the inert bodies. 'Right,' I said, a business-like edge to my shaky voice. 'Hugo, where's you wand?'

Hugo shrugged. 'It fell at some point.'

I raised mine. 'Accio wand!' I chanted, and Hugo's wand poked me on my shoulder-blade. I took it and gave it to Hugo, who still didn't know how to get up; he looked like he was scared to let go of Isabelle.

I walked up to him. 'Hugo, you have to let go of her.' He shook his head, tears spilling from his eyes. 'Hugo, the longer you delay this, the later she's going to get treatment. We need to move.' I looked at Malfoy for support, but he sat motionless, staring at his sister. 'Okay, Hugo,' I said, a bit more forceful. 'Listen, I'll levitate her, alright? That's the fastest way we can move. If you want, you can do it.'

Hugo shook his head again. 'I have more confidence in your magic than mine.'

'Alright,' I said, a tad mortified. 'Locomotor mortis!' I said, and watched the girl's inert body float into the air, above the trees, in front of me. Hugo got to his feet shakily, supported by Malfoy, who was staring at his sister's body in the air. We began stumbling through the forest, my wand and eyes trained on Isabelle's body, making sure she didn't fall. We made it out of the forest, and started sprinting headfirst towards the oak front doors. Inside those doors, chaos reigned.

Alice and Sam had realized we were missing and had informed a teacher. Meanwhile, Gomes had realized the twins were gone as well, so the entire castle was being searched. When we burst in through the doors, Isabelle's body floating eerily ahead of us, bodies converged on us immediately, taking Hugo and Isabelle away for treatment. After a quick check-up, Scorpius and I were taken up to Professor McGonagall's office to speak to her. She was sitting on the wing-backed Headmistress' chair, waiting. I noticed the large empty portrait frame directly behind her seat. She gestured for us to sit down and, when we had, she spoke.

'I would like to know what happened in the forest. Who is responsible for this?'

I launched into explanation straight away, and I saw Scorpius paying close attention as well. Once I'd finished till Greyback pinning me down, Scorpius took over. He explained how he had noticed his sister's absence and had set out to find her. He knew she'd gone for a walk and decided to search the grounds. He had been at the edge of the forest when he heard me scream and had followed my voice to find us. McGonagall was flabbergasted to hear we had met Greyback, who was supposed to be imprisoned; what was more worrying was this woman, Sophia, who nobody knew. She dismissed us hurriedly; she had begun spouting orders to the portraits even before we had left the room.

Malfoy and I walked in silence, both knowing where we were heading. Suddenly, he spoke. 'I haven't spoken to her since February.' He looked at me, his eyes glazed over with guilt and pain. 'Have you?' I shook my head jerkily. 'I feel so guilty.' I felt tears roll down my cheeks, leaving a hot trail behind. I nodded. I wished I had someone to hold on to, to tell me it would be alright; I needed to know that Hugo would be okay… but no one provided me with the reassurance.

We turned around a corner and entered the hospital wing corridor. I saw his hand shiver for a moment, suspended in mid-air, before he turned the handle and opened the door. He let me in first and followed close behind me. I saw Hugo sitting up in bed, watching Isabelle lying on the bed next to him. Madam Pomfrey was treating her, forcing Blood Replenishing Potion down her throat as she slept. Her wounds had been healed, the scars ghostly white on her frighteningly pale skin.

Hugo turned the door slid shut behind us. I ran up to his bed and threw my arms around him; sobs escaped my trembling lips and my tears wet his bedclothes. He patted my back gently. 'It's okay, it's okay. We're going to be fine,' he murmured softly, giving me the reassurance I'd been seeking.

Slowly, my breathing evened and I let go. 'I'm so sorry, Hugo.' He smiled at me, and that was all I needed.


This time on the train, we had a new passenger in our compartment. Isabelle had become an integral part of us during the last week of school, and had come to sit with Hugo on the train. With her at his side, Hugo seemed a totally new person. The year at Hogwarts had not answered any of my questions; moreover, new ones had been raised. However, one look at this new Hugo made me smile and I knew I would be alright, for now.

Now that I think of it, you can review whether you like it or not- I don't mind! XD