So I think it's time that I just acknowledge that I'm going to be posting on Tuesdays. Since apparently I can't ever get around to posting Mondays. On the plus side, things have been a little off schedule because I'm working so hard on this! My timeline is almost complete, and I have to tear myself away from finishing up the story to edit and post a chapter!

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Interview 2 with Victim No. 4

Those Present: Mrs. Hermione Granger, Magical Law Office, Interviewer

Interviewer: Hello, Astoria! It's good to see you again. Really, thank you so much for coming in again.

Victim No. 4: Oh it's fine. It's not very far with the Floo Network. Still getting used to things again, you know.

Interviewer: Of course, I can't imagine. Well, I won't take too much of your time. The reason we've asked you to come in again is about Missy Haglin and Adrian McCoy.

Victim No. 4: Oh.

Interviewer: I'm—I'm so sorry. I can't imagine—. There, have a cup of tea. You like cream and sugar, don't you? We know what happened. The American government just has a few more questions about events leading up to the accident. So if you can tell me, how were they when they were with you in the yard?

Victim No. 4: Well, we didn't see them too much. They kept to themselves. They were—they weren't a good fit. Adrian was jumpy and always paranoid. Missy was—it seems so ungracious to say it now, but she was spoiled. And selfish. And he was lazy—it took us forever to get him to go to work. He would have rather starved. They came pretty close a couple times.

Interviewer: So they weren't happy?

Victim No. 4: Not at all. There was a time when I think Gerard was putting some sort of love potion in their food, and they were more bearable then, but as soon as it wore off, they were worse off than before. Missy was very reactive.

Interviewer: I see. And did they ever separate the two of them?

Victim No. 4: Oh no. That was never allowed for anybody. Not even when—. Not even when one spouse was in danger.

Interviewer: All right. That's all we needed to know. We had a lot of information on you know, the—

Victim No. 4: The murders? Because that's what they were.

Interviewer: Yes. But we wanted some information on their treatment before. Thank you.

[clinking of teacups]

Interviewer: Oh, before you go, I have to ask. Do you know how much of your role in this you want to be out of the spotlight? We've been talking to the others, and quite a few are adamant about secrecy—someone even mentioned the Unbreakable Vow, though that is more likely to get someone killed than to keep anything secret.

Victim No. 4: That was Vera, wasn't it? I really haven't thought about it too much. I know she doesn't want to remember it at all. And I would put Draco in that category, too. Honestly, I'm not too keen on being connected with it either. If there was a way where I could walk away, and simply reappear in England and say I'd been traveling, I would like that. But I don't think it's possible.

Interviewer: Well, it won't be easy. But I think we can work something out. Or we can try to, anyway. What do you know about Secret Keepers?

September 2nd, 2006

Just as Anna, Marie, and Angelina had all been thrown a small afternoon party at the announcement of their pregnancies, Astoria and Draco found themselves sitting on chairs surrounded by pink blankets, stuffed unicorns, new frilly baby clothes, and all manner of things a wealthy pureblood baby girl could possibly need.

Missy and Adrian had failed to attend, but that wasn't surprising. Their room went from long silences to eruptions of shouting and throwing things in a matter of seconds these days, the silencing charms Gerard placed around the door being only somewhat effective. Whenever Astoria saw the door, a knot formed in her stomach. If she was losing patience, she couldn't imagine how angry Jasper was.

Adrian hadn't even made an attempt to come to work in the mornings, and baby Gerry spent more than half his evenings with Anna and Martin, much to Gerard's dismay.

As Anna, her pregnancy now clearly showing under her robes, handed Astoria yet another frilly dress that would probably fit a ten-month-old, Missy and Adrian's door burst open to an explosion of fierce shrieks and shouting. It wasn't just Adrian who appeared, though. Missy seemed attached to him as he flew out of the room, one of her hands caught in his hair while the other was making very successful swings to scratch his face and arms.

Twisting away from her so that she tripped and let go of him, Adrian made a beeline for the wall lined with trees.

Draco, Martin, and George were already running over to them, George shouting, "Adrian! Adrian, slow down, mate!"

But before they could catch up with him, Missy was there, fists flying wildly as she punched him and drew her nails across his face again.

Adrian threw her down again and lunged at the wall, crying out as it shocked him, but getting up from where it had thrown him and attempting to climb it again.

Missy was on her feet again, too, but George caught her before she could pounce again. Unfortunately, her fury seemed equally appeased by beating the hell out of George as beating the hell out of Adrian. Martin had to help George pin her arms down.

Draco was left to deal with Adrian as he vainly attempted to scale the wall again. But by then, Jasper, Emil, and Michael appeared, stunning all of them.

When Draco woke up from the stunning spell, there was still chaos around him. Jasper was shouting orders for everyone to stay where they were, and Draco saw that he was surrounded by the just-stirring forms of George and Martin. Astoria, Angelina, and all the other community members were strung out from the circle of chairs in the center of the yard to where he lay. At Jasper's barked words, they all shifted timidly from foot to foot.

Emil had dragged the still-limp form of Adrian out from underneath the trees while Michael held Missy. Jasper paced around them.

"We've been very—incredibly —tolerant with the two of you and your lack of care for your child and your stubbornness at refusing to conceive again. And why you can't simply get along continues to baffle me." Jasper said as Draco forced himself to sit up and get unsteadily to his feet.

Jasper continued, "And while others in leadership have tended to be a little more lenient, I am out of patience. I have no intention of allowing such selfish and destructive behavior to upset the equilibrium that I have worked so tirelessly to put into effect."

He said the last bit while shooting accusatory stares at the crowd still shifting insecurely in front of him.

There was a creak of the gates, and Gerard slipped through them quietly.

"Now, now, Jasper," he said, his voice tinged with anxiety. "What's going on here?"

Jasper sneered at Gerard, still on the other side of the yard. He turned back to Missy and Adrian, both looking more or less awake and starting to squirm in the grip of the guards. The guards promptly dropped them onto their knees and stepped away.

"Avada—"

Draco didn't hear the end of the curse because Astoria had screamed and started running towards the little group, hands outstretched to stop it.

He forced his sluggish legs to move. "Astoria, don't!" he collided with her and caught one of her wrists, but she didn't seem to notice, her eyes glued to the bright green streak of light that caught Adrian in the heart.

She screamed again and lunged forward, and Draco was forced to wrap his arms tightly around her waist while she struggled to push forward and save Missy.

When a second jet of green light hit Missy and threw her, lifeless, to the ground, Astoria stopped struggling so suddenly that Draco stumbled. He never quite regained his balance because Astoria sank to the ground, his arms still tightly around her and forcing him to kneel next to her, too.

A horrible sobbing sound was coming from her, and it filled the silent yard as Jasper had Emil and Michael drag off Missy's and Adrian's bodies into the administration building.

Draco heard Scorpius' crying come from their open door, and he was torn for a second on what to do, his arms still around Astoria as she leaned into him, crying.

But then Anna was kneeling next to the two of them, and Draco felt his head clear.

"No, I got her," he said as Anna made to help Astoria stand. He supported Astoria as they stood up, and then put his arm around her to help her back to her room.

"Should I get the Bug?" Anna asked.

"Yes," Draco managed to say as he half carried Astoria to their room.

By the time Draco had Astoria tucked under the covers, she was talking through a mix of sobs and hiccups.

"I—always ha—hated them. Sh—she was s—so ann—oying. And—I could've t—tried h—harder. But I d—didn't. And now they're d—dead, and w—what about baby G—Gerry?"

And then the crying started all over, and Draco wasn't able to think clearly other than to shush her and say that he was sorry and that it was all going to be all right, he promised. It was all going to be all right.

But it wasn't going to be. They were woken up that night by blood on the sheets from a miscarriage.

September 3rd, 2006

When Astoria awoke in a hospital bed a day later, it was to the weary face of Gerard sitting next to her.

"I'm so sorry, my dear," he said, and sighed heavily.

She thought for a moment that she was going to cry, but instead her mind clouded and her brain felt sluggish, uneager to bring her fully back to awareness.

Someone stirred to the left of the bed, and Astoria saw Draco tumble sleepily to his feet from the chair he had been napping in.

"You're awake! How do you feel? Are you all right?"

She tried to smile at him, but couldn't. She wondered vaguely why she wasn't crying.

They moved her back to their room that afternoon, wheeling a chair through the winding halls to the door she had originally entered the room through. Was that a year ago? Over a year ago. Almost two years, she thought.

The door hadn't been used for months, and Gerard had to perform a hefty number of spells to make it open again.

The room was pristinely clean, and dozens of white roses lay gathered in vases on the table, the bookshelf, the pantry, and the dressers.

Astoria lay down immediately while Draco went to get Scorpius, who was still staying with Anna or Vera. Or Angelina. Astoria wasn't sure who he was with, and she thought that she was probably a terrible mother for not knowing. Probably the type of mother who should only ever have one child, and so she was really better off—

And then she started crying. She didn't stop for a long time.

May I apologize for how horribly sad this chapter is? I know. Things get better, I promise. This just might be Draco's shining moment.