A./N.: I'm truly sorry for not having updated in decades it feels. I started a new job at a school and was quite busy getting situated and comfortable in my new role. Again I'm sorry my writing suffered the consequences and so you did as well. But here is a new chapter now and I hope I haven't lost my touch. Hope you enjoy reading and please leave a review for me ... that what the nice botton at the foot of the page is for. ;)
LG Faithful
Awakening Courage
Minerva walked out of her room carefully, with measured steps. She dreaded seeing Molly in despair ... again. There was no help for it, though. Molly needed her and that was that. Her own feelings would have to stand back ... once more.
Albus had been understanding as always, but saddened that she hadn't told him what had scared her. Truth be told she still didn't trust herself to trust others, the exception being Molly ... and that was why she had to be there for her friend despite her bitter memories. It was as simple and as complicated as that. Her husband was close behind her, not letting her out of his sight these days. He would find out soon enough what had happened, what had caused such agony in both his wife and her best friend. What Minerva didn't quite understand was why she had felt and seen what Molly had.
Moving down the stairs to the second story, Minerva could make out nothing except a cluster of red-heads. She strained her neck a little to get a closer look and maybe make out Molly, but couldn't. Ron, tall and gangly Ron, had moved to block her vision. With a huff Minerva descended the last few steps and pushed through the twins. Her fear of the other sex was quite forgotten in her need to be with her friend. She was needed.
Fred and George stood back, looking surprised. Then, slowly, a grin spread over their faces briefly, but it was definitely there for a moment. Their professor had certainly looked and acted like her former self, whereas their mother seemed uncharacteristically quiet and serious. Whatever had awakened her, it had scared the hell out of her. And that in turn scared the hell out of them.
Had it been merely another nightmare? No, that couldn't be it. Molly hadn't had any nightmares since Ginger had been born and Arthur had come around, adopted her, and begged his wife to let him be part of her life.
"Molly?" Minerva's commanding voice cut through the haze of questions.
Molly turned towards her like a scared child would to its mother. She saw the same horror, she knew was reflected in her own eyes, in Minerva's eyes. Sighing in relief, she knew that she wouldn't have to explain. She wasn't sure if she could without breaking down. Her eyes pleaded with Minerva to say all would be well, it had simply been a dream and nothing more. Alas Minerva turned her head to the side, not meeting her eyes straight on. Another pain stabbed through her soul.
"Minerva?" It was more a question this time. Minerva reacted instantly, surging forward and embracing Molly in a bear-hug.
"Sh, sh, sweetheart, I'm here. I'm here and we will find her."
oOoOoOo
The wheezing stopped suddenly and Draco's hand slowly, hesitantly came up to check his mother's pulse at her throat. Holding his breath and praying to God, his fingers moved over her neck until he finally felt a weak pulse beat under his fingertips. Then suddenly the pulse stopped and Draco held his breath, hoping – begging for the next one to come. A slight fluttering sensation under his tips brought the relief he had been hoping for, but Draco knew that he was running out of time. He didn't know if his father would be coming back any second now or if Professor Snape would beat him to them. All he knew was that he had to get out of here and get his mother to Madame Pomfrey as fast as possible. He just had to or his mother would die.
Up until now Draco had only proved that he had a big mouth, but when it really mattered he would hide behind others and let Crabbe and Goyle do the dirty work. He was a whimp, a coward, Harry Potter was right about that. Now, though, was the moment when he could prove himself worthy – the moment he had to or watch his mother die.
Malfoy Manor, like so many other old wizarding mansions, was bonded to the family who lived in it and would do the biding of every blood relative. Narcissa had never been able to fully control the house and its magic, but Draco was a blood relative and for the first time he would call upon that bond to get them both to the safety of the Order.
oOoOoOo
Arthur on the other hand was beyond comfort. He had lost his little daughter, and he knew that no amount of reasoning would convince Molly that he hadn't done it on purpose because little Ginger was Lucius' offspring.
Charlie had never seen his father this distraught before. He was quite transformed by grief and panic. His bald crown was gleaming with perspiration and his eyes were blood-shot and frantically moving to and fro like MadEye's magical eye in the hope of catching any sign of where his child had disappeared to. With a heart-felt sigh Charlie moved outside, he couldn't stand seeing the helplessness in his father's eyes and feeling his own paralyzing his very being. Tears were prickling his eyes but he stubbornly refused to let them fall, they wouldn't help Virginia. Instead he focussed on the street before him, slowly counting the steps it took him to cross it, the cobblestones that paved the street … suddenly he noticed a little bit of lace trapped on the sharp edge of one of those stones, winking playfully at him while a small breeze ruffled it. Bending low he worked it free and examined it more closely. It was from Virginia's bonnet. He remembered how his mother had fussed over it this morning and had wanted to fix it with quick spell before they left the house, but Arthur had chuckled and said it was ok and she should fix it later … he had accused Molly of just not wanting Virginia out of her sight and looking for silly reasons to delay their departure. Now Charlie was thanking God for the unravelling trimming.
Slowly, so that no detail would go unnoticed by him, he looked up and down the street again. He suddenly noticed an overturned bucket and some footsteps in a sandy patch near Eyeloop's Owlery … near the entrance to Knockturn. Swallowing thickly, Charlie took out his wand and walked towards the one street his parents had always warned him off and the one street he and his brothers had always longed to visit.
It was almost surreal. During the war Diagon Alley had changed, had suffered wounds and losses. Knockturn, on the other hand, had thrived. The poor beggars had left the dark alley to do their shady business out in the open under the new ruler. All the windows were brightly coloured and packed with goods to allegedly ward off evil forces, but in reality only furthered the effects of hostile hexes. Charlie had no illusion that the goods sold in Knockturn were more dangerous now than before the war, because the Ministry did nothing to control them anymore.
Standing uncertainly at the entrance to Knockturn, Charlie thought carefully about his next moves. Should he inform his father and the Order that he had a suspicion that Ginger's kidnapper had run into this street? It sounded ridiculous without real evidence. Should he then investigate on his own? No, that too was ludicrous. He could run headfirst into danger. And who told him that the kidnapper was still in Knockturn? Wizards could apparate after all. He took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. First he had to find out who would gain anything from kidnapping his little sister?
LUCIUS MALFOY!
It was the first – and really the only – name that came to mind.
"That vicious bastard!" Charlie growled. And without giving it another thought he walked into Knockturn Alley.
