I'm sorry to everyone for the wait, hopefully the next part wont take this long to bring out!

Tainted Chapter Eleven

Make a wish,

Take a chance,

Make a change,

And breakaway…

--- Kelly Clarkson

Athena sat back from the fire, her face unreadable. "You're sure?"

The other woman in the fire nodded. "I know you wanted to be here, 'Thena, but she couldn't hold out. I'm sorry-"

"No," Athena said, shaking her head, "it's ok, we'll be there sooner than I thought anyway. Will you be alright?"

"As much as can be expected. We knew it was going to happen, but it doesn't stop-" There was a slight pause and muffled voices could be heard. "I have to go, 'Thena. Please come as soon as you can."

"I will," she promised. "We have a few loose ends on this end, but we'll be home soon."

"I know Jamie would have been grateful, we'll see you soon."

The fire burnt back low and Athena sighed, shoulders slumping. Warm arms wrapped around her and she could feel Tobias's lips press gently against her throat.

"She's gone then?"

She nodded again. It wasn't often, but she truly wished she could see her husbands face again. "She was so young, Toby, so very strong. I just wish…"

"I know." He held her a little tighter. "You did so much for her though. At least she could feel you."

"Those boys have no idea," she whispered, clinging a little to her husband, letting her tears fall. "At least they kept their sense of touch."

"Isis has her in a safer place now." Tobias pulled Athena gently onto his lap, cradling his sobbing wife. "We won't let it happen to the boys too."

They stayed that way until Athena felt all her tears had dried and gone.

---

Harry and Malfoy stood in the Great Hall, waiting. Both were quiet, their bodies heavy with weariness. Though neither said a word of complaint, the Order members who watched them could tell they were dead on their feet. It wasn't lost on any of them that the two had only been awake for an hour or two. How much help could the Boy Who Lived be to their cause when he could not speak nor stay awake?

I wish they'd stop watching us like we're leapers or something, Harry hissed.

Malfoy smiled, concentrating on three little balls of light. Still grinning, he began to juggle them, the globes spinning effortlessly in his hands. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. Even the Headmaster would have trouble making things appear out of nothing. How many leapers can do it as effortlessly as we can?"

"Showing off again, Malfoy?"

Harry turned his head, scowling a little as Ron, followed by Hermione, joined them. Both were carrying knapsacks that bulged a little and they had forgone robes for jeans and thick jumpers.

"You know, Weasely," Malfoy said, watching the balls, "I may not be able to hear a word, but when Athena's around that little charm the Headmistress cast works a treat and I can read everything you say." He caught one of the balls, tossing it at Ron. Ron flinched back, only to have it pop out of existence. "I file all your insults away, and so far you have a pretty big bill when it comes time to collect."

"You're crazy," Ron spluttered as Malfoy popped the remaining two globes like bubbles.

Harry snorted, earning a raised eyebrow from Malfoy. He was just stating the obvious again.

"Be nice." Malfoy was still grinning. "Your bill isn't much better than his."

At least I'm trying to work mine off. I don't see you doing anything to pay yours.

"I think translating for you is a fine way of paying you back, Mister High and Mighty. And I'll have you know-"

"Aren't you two bringing anything?"

Hermione sat, watching the two of them. She didn't mention it, but she could see the change in the two of them. The ease in which they stood next to each other. She had never seen Harry smile at Malfoy before. In watching them both, Hermione realised with a prang of sadness that Harry was going somewhere they could not; a place that only Malfoy could follow him to.

They both shrugged off her question.

"Anything that's still mine is at the Manor, and I really don't think anyone's going to let me stop by to pick up a few things." Malfoy looked to Harry. "And as everything Potter owns went up in that fire, there isn't much for us to carry."

Digging through her bag, Hermione handed Harry a small parcel. "We all chipped in for this before Ginny... before she disappeared. It's a little late, but Happy Birthday, Harry."

Harry swallowed back tears at the red and gold tissue paper that sat in the centre of his palm. He could feel Malfoy's eyes on him and took a deep calming breath. He gave both Hermione and Malfoy a shaky smile, regaining in all that control he was supposed to be learning so he didn't fly off the handle.

Untying the ribbon and pulling the paper back slowly, he could feel Malfoy shift impatiently beside him. In his hand sat a gold locket of a roaring lion's head. His hand tingled at the spells that laced through the gold. Wand magic. It made his skin prickle, but not enough to hurt. He wondered if it was possible to change the magic so it wouldn't distract him.

He ran his finger along the delicately carved surface and the red gem for the eye before popping the latch. The photo inside was from right before his fourth year. At the World Cup. All the Weaselys surrounded them; somehow Ginny had ended up sitting beside him. Not that he had noticed at the time, with Ron and the twins piled on top of him and Hermione laughing beside them.

At the time, things had already started to change, but after that particular summer, nothing had ever been the same again. Here was a picture of the last time he'd truly been happy.

Harry couldn't even say anything with Malfoy looking over his shoulder. From the way His Voice moved, Harry knew he understood the importance of the photo. A steady hand brushed his back as he closed the lid. Those same gentle hands helped him fasten the necklace in place.

"And I found this the other day in Hogsmeade." If they noticed the tears in Hermione's eyes, or the thickness to her voice, both kept it to themselves. "I think you'd like it more though, Malfoy."

She tossed a small green ball to him, and even with the weeks of malnourishment, his Quidditch-honed reflexes were still at work and he caught it easily. Only to let go as it fluttered in his hand. Harry stared in delight as the miniature Dragon hissed, clinging to the palm of his hand.

"It's a clever little charm," Hermione murmured, reaching over and stroking the creature's back. It froze in stone. "It mimics a real dragon till you pet it's back, and then it turns back into an ornament. Set fire to its wrapping a couple of times because I forgot about it."

Harry quietly relayed what Hermione had said until Malfoy nodded.

"Thank you, Hermione."

Baby steps forward all the time.

---

"Are you all ready to go?" Athena and Tobias entered together, their steps confident. With the exception of her eyes, when she was with her husband you couldn't tell she was blind. It was Tobias's eyes, however, which roamed over their four charges and noting the changes in the group. Particularly that the young Miss Granger was seated next Harry and Draco, lifting her head from their conversation.

They all stood and Athena nodded as they answered.

"Good, we have to use Portkeys for most of the journey, plus a little bit of a hike, so I expect no complaints-"

"You're taking my students away?"

Headmistress McGonagall joined them, her lips thin. Harry scowled a little at the cold tone in the older woman's voice, but Athena didn't seem overly bothered by the chilly reception.

"There isn't nearly enough information in Hogwarts library to find a way to cure Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy. Tobias's library in Brighton is not as big, but it focuses on what we're looking for." She cocked her head a little to the side. "Your students have agreed to come; Tobias and I will keep them safe."

For a moment Harry was certain the Headmistress would refuse it.

"I don't have time, Headmistress, I need to get home very quickly, unless you would like to organise the funeral of Jamie Foxx?"

McGonagall sighed, "I'd heard she'd passed on. She was very young. I know you were her friend, I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Athena nodded. "We'll bring them back as soon as we can, but I don't know how soon that will be. We'll keep you up to date with what's going on."

"Of course."

The Headmistress left them and Athena guided them out the door, Harry and Malfoy exchanging a glance. Who was Jamie Foxx?

---

They appeared in the back of a shop. Draco's hand rested firmly against Potter's forearm, practically holding him up. He didn't comment on the way the other boy shook as they had reached for the Portkey together, nor how he had a hard time keeping his feet when they reappeared. Draco knew what it was like to come out of a Portkey and into the face of the dark lord.

Athena barely gave them a moment to breathe before she and Tobias lead them from the store, nodding to the old wizard at the counter.

"After you, Malfoy," Draco didn't need to hear the words to know that Weasley was being his charming self. Still, Draco bit his tongue and propelled Potter after their guides, letting growling Weasley and concerned Granger follow. It had taken her long enough, but it seemed she was finally beginning to notice the changes in the Boy Who Lived.

Do I even have to ask what's making you grin like that?

At least Potter was quick with the recovery.

"Do I need a reason? How about this delightfully dismal day? Or we're both going to die? The lovely company?"

"I would suggest, Mr. Malfoy, that you keep such maddening thoughts to yourself." Athena offered him a tired smile. "As much fun as your honest and upbeat attitude is, some of us don't require the reminder that we are dying."

"I will try to keep my bubbly personality in check." Draco couldn't help the cheeky grin. "But I make no promises; you told me that I was probably going to go insane."

It won't take much, Potter offered.

"If I needed comments from the peanut gallery I would have asked- hey, watch it!"

Draco was practically thrown aside as the tall figure of Neville Longbottom picked Potter off his feet. Draco couldn't quite believe how much taller Neville had become during the time he'd been gone. He and Weasley were about the same height, all tall and lanky, what should be awkward and trollish. Except Longbottom didn't look like a troll with his hair growing out and his ruddy face alight with a smile of delight.

Potter didn't quiet share the Giant's happiness, squirming in panic, his almost weightless figure lost in the other man's hold. Draco glared, sighing to himself as he shook his head. Potter was going to have to learn really quickly to convince his friends not to touch him; he was getting sick of doing it for him. When the power started to hum in his bones, Draco stepped forward, quickly placing his hands against Longbottom's sides and concentrating a gentle spark of his power into them.

Longbottom yelped, dropping Potter and jumping. Draco smirked as the other boy rubbed his sides, whirling to face him.

His smirk died however, as someone else's wand was in his face. The blonde was just a little taller than him, a hardly surprising fact though. Everyone but Potter seemed to be taller than him. She wore a very plain grey robe covered in dirt, and a cork necklace. He couldn't help but stare at the corks for a long moment before he met her blue eyes that didn't quiet seem to be focused on him.

"Draco Malfoy." Her words were soft and even, dream-like. "Didn't anyone teach you to keep your hands to yourself?"

Draco hadn't had the chance to exchange more then a few taunts in Luna Lovegood's direction. But that didn't mean he didn't know who she was. The Lovegoods were considered the butt of most jokes among the wizarding world, but all of them brilliant. Lovegood's wand began to draw swirls in the words that had appeared until the faded.

"I'm sure I can be forgiven, as Longbottom was frightening my friend."

Draco wished he could hear whatever noises he was sure Weasley must be making behind Granger's hand as she covered his mouth. Potter stepped up beside him, nodding as Lovegood's dreamy eyes turned his way. She lowered the wand.