"The logic behind this is simple—they mean to torture us," Neville said.

We were standing in the front lobby of St. Mungo's waiting for our contact to arrive to give us a tour around the hospital and then to send us off to start learning. Marius, Neville, and I were exhausted from the three weeks of studying and working that we'd been putting in; all of us were barely managing to keep up. We were thankful that the end of the month was nigh and that our higher Wizarding education had almost come to a close.

This was our final test, seeing how well we could handle ourselves in the medical world. I knew this was important, especially for Neville and me because there was so much overlap between healing, herbology, and potions. Marius had it much easier than the two of us.

"I agree. I just want to go home and sleep. She'd been up every night this week because she'd been ill. Finally yesterday she was doing better, but I was up all night anyway finishing up all the reading I fell behind on taking care of her," I said.

"Well, we've only got test next Tuesday, so you'll only have your ethics studies to finish," Marius said.

"I know. I'm just dead on my feet today. Don't know how I'm going to pull an all-nighter here," I said.

"Just keep yourself pumped up. Stay hyped and excited. The adrenaline will keep you going," Neville said.

There was a pop and we all turned around to see who had entered the hospital. To my shock it was Kristen.

"Hannah! Neville! Marius! Fancy seeing you lot here," she said running over and hugging me. She'd cut her hair. It used to drop down past her waist and now it was barely past shoulder length.

"What are you doing here? We all thought you'd moved to Austria," I said.

"Well, I did for a while. Mostly I was just trying to figure my life out because after being a death eater and being let out of school early I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, but I figured it out and now I'm just here to get a copy of my medical records and take them down to the auror office," she said.

"You're going to become an auror?" Neville asked.

"Yes I am. I was in dueling club after all, and Flitwick was always going on about how amazing I was and being a former dark wizard myself I do have a lot of insight, so I thought why the hell not, right?" Kristen asked.

"Yes. Why the hell not," Marius said.

"Anyway, what would a herbologist, a potions master, and a magizoologist in training be doing at St. Mungo's on a Saturday afternoon? Isn't there a Quidditch match at Hogwarts you should be watching?" Kristen asked. "Don't you have a daughter to look after?"

"We're in the middle of our higher Wizarding education and part of that means learning about illnesses, injuries, and cures related to our particular fields of study," Marius said.

"Wow. They're working you hard at the ministry then?" Kristen asked.

"After this, the hard part'll be over. I feel bad for you though, going through the auror training. Harry and Ron have been manic since they started," I said.

"Oh! That's right. Harry did tell me he wanted to be an auror. I've barely spoken to him since I dumped him fifth year. Is he still with Ginny?" Kristen asked.

"Yep," I said.

"Good for them," Kristen asked. "What about Ron and Hermione?"

"Engaged now," I said.

"Well good for Weasley because you don't get lucky twice—unless you're Hannah Potter in which case hot guys just throw themselves at you," Kristen said. "Anyway, I've got to get upstairs to get those records, but maybe I'll stop by sometime when you're not busy and we can catch up."

"Definitely," I said.

"I'll see you lot around," she said. And then she disappeared up the stairs.

"Slytherins are strange," Marius said.

"Indeed they are," I said.

"But then you make out with them and then it doesn't matter so much," Neville said.

"I keep forgetting Bree is a Slytherin," I said.

"Enough chit chat there you lot."

We turned around and I saw another familiar face.

"Tyler, what are you doing here?" I asked.

He laughed. "I've been keeping a secret from you Potter. I am fully trained and licensed Healer. I work here part time, mostly training the new healers and picking up shifts from call offs. And today my job is to help you with your higher Wizarding education training."

"Well, fantastic," I said.

"You went to Hogwarts didn't you? Gryffindor?" Neville asked.

"Yep. I remember you Neville," Tyler said. "But not you."

"Oh, I transferred in my sixth year from Spain. My name is Marius Drake," Marius introduced himself.

"I'm Tyler Hawkins. I work with Hannah in potions research and development down at the Ministry. I sit in the back of the office with her and keep her company while we do bitch work," he said.

"Good times," I said.

"Shall we get started?" Tyler asked.

"I think we shall," I said.

888

Hanging out with Tyler all afternoon and evening made the training a lot less difficult. I still ended up taking a lot of notes, so many that my hand cramped up at one point, but it was nice to have a friend around to keep me company.

When 10 o'clock rolled around, I was tired and finally happy to be going home so I could sleep.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Tyler asked.

"Studying until my eyes fall out," I said.

"Study, study, study. That's all you ever do," Tyler said.

"I don't have a choice, but I'm almost done," I said. "This month has been crazy. Tuesday I only have to take an exam so I'll only be at the ministry for half the day. I plan on spending the afternoon finally sending out those save the dates that I needed."

"Well congratulations on that. You need a break," Tyler said.

"If you can call it that," I said with a shrug.

"How about we grab lunch Tuesday? I haven't had time to sit down and chat with you properly outside of the office since you got bogged down in studying," he said.

"I don't know. I promised I'd send out those save the dates ages ago, and I can't slack off on it. And afterward I need to catch up on some more studying for ethics," I said.

"Oh, come on," he said putting his hand on my shoulder, "consider it a study break."

I looked down at his hand on my shoulder. I couldn't understand why he was touching me, but it was making me feel uncomfortable.

"Hannah, you ready to go?" I looked down the hallway; Neville and Marius were waiting for me.

"Uh. . . Sure, why not," I said. "But I'm going to have to force you to stuff envelopes while we chat. I don't have much time to fritter away."

"No problem. I'm happy to help," he said.

"Well, I've got to get home. I miss my baby," I said ducking away from his hand. "I'll see you Tuesday."

888

When I got home, the house was quiet and dark. Harry and Ron had gone to Hogwarts to see Ginny's Quidditch match and then gone to close up the joke shop so I wasn't surprised that they were in bed already.

I climbed the stairs to Mira's room and peeked in on her. She was fast asleep, her empty cup in the crib beside her. I picked up the cup and stroked the side of her face and walked out of her room. I walked into my room and sat the empty down on my dresser and dropped my purse to the floor.

I was exhausted. I just wanted to sleep.

I walked over to my bed and laid down, and then saw that there was a letter on my pillow. I picked it up and opened it.

Dear Hannah,

I hate that I haven't gotten to see you in three weeks and I'm sorry that I've been terrible and haven't written to you at all when I know that you've probably been too busy to write to me because of all of the work you've been doing. I'm sorry. I really do miss you. Hermione told me about your meeting with the Queen. I don't even know what to say to that. And as for being awarded the Order of Merlin, first class, I wish I could've been there with you when you found out to celebrate with you. I've been pretty busy at Hogwarts as well. Hermione and I are throwing a Christmas party to promote inter-house unity. I'll tell you more about it when I finally get to see you (which will be soon), but apparently it's a pretty big deal in light of recent events and all that.

I love you, Hannah and I really miss you. I can't say it enough. I'll be home soon.

Love,

Draco

I read the letter over again and set it back on my pillow. I sat the letter back on my pillow and sighed. Now on top of being exhausted, I was missing Draco.

I kicked off my shoes, laid down, and wrapped my arms around a pillow. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep before Mira woke up.

888

I was startled awake when I heard Mira whining from her room. I sighed as I climbed out of bed and walked out of my room. It was two in the morning and I'd barely been sleeping for three hours. She was probably still sick. Being out in the cold watching Quidditch probably didn't help her much.

I pushed open the door, flicked on the light, and froze.

Mira was standing up in her crib, whining, but that wasn't what had scared me. Standing by the back window of her room, was Rodolphus Lestrange. I instinctively reached for my wand, but I didn't have it. After months of sleeping with it under my pillow, just within my reach I was finally starting to be less paranoid. A lot of good it was doing me now.

I knew that they were still rounding up a few of the remaining death eaters that were still on the loose, but I had never considered that any of them would show up. Especially him. I hadn't had contact with him at all except for when he, Bellatrix, and Fitzpatrick attacked me when they were moving us to the Burrow.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, a knot forming in my chest.

"I don't think we've have the pleasure of a formal introduction," he said.

"Save it. I know exactly who you are," I said. I moved toward Mira but he pulled out his wand. "Don't hurt her."

"And why shouldn't I?" he asked. "Why shouldn't I take away the most important person in your life like mine was taken from me?"

"Your wife was a lunatic. She tortured and killed-."

"And I'd have her do it all again if she were still here in the name of the Dark Lord," he said.

"He's gone. He's dead. Just let it go. It's over," I said.

"Did your loyalty to Dumbledore die with him?" Lestrange asked. I shook my head and he pointed his wand at Mira. "Have you forgotten how to use your words, Potter? Tell me, did your loyalty to Dumbledore die with him?"

"No, it didn't," I said.

"And you still foolishly choose to believe that mine would die with my master," he said. He raised his wand to me. "And they told me you were a smart girl."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Revenge," he said. "And now, I shall have it."

The time for being quiet was over.

"Harry! Ron!" I shouted.

I was hit with a spell in the chest flinging me back against the wall. I banged my head against the wall.

The next thing I remembered was mostly a blur of colors, lights, and sounds. My head was in so much pain.

"Hannah, can you hear me?" The voice was female, but I was too disorientated to recognize it. "Hannah, talk to me. Are you all right?"

I responded by throwing up. I felt horrible. My head pounding. I closed my eyes back. I just wanted to sleep.

"No, you can't fall asleep, Hannah. You've got to stay awake. Open your eyes for me," the voice said.

I did as she asked briefly, but the light hurt my eyes and trying to focus them hurt even worse.

"No," I complained, "it hurts."

"I know it does. You've got a pretty nasty concussion. We're going to take you to St. Mungo's to have you looked at in a moment, just hang in there for me," she went on.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the voice again. I couldn't focus very well, but I could see her wavy dark hair and her eyes looked familiar as well.

"Veronica?" I asked.

"You can almost recognize me, that's good. I'm Lydia," she said.

"Lydia," I repeated.

"That's right," she said. "Harry and Ron came as soon as you called them and they got Lestrange. He's got himself a first class ticket to Azkaban. And Mira is downstairs with Narcissa and Lucius."

This was too much information for my brain to process all at once.

"Where's Mira?" I asked.

"Hannah, she's safe. She's with Lucius and Narcissa. She's perfectly fine," Lydia said.

I could feel myself starting to talk again, and Lydia was answering me, but everything became fuzzy and disconnected and then there was darkness again.

[Chapter title credit to Antoine Dodson and Autotune the News for the "Bed Intrude Song"]