Part Three: Four
Sirius and Remus had long left the house, leaving the four of them to remain and wait. It became a long two weeks that the four of them spent in each other's company. Some days, Caledonia and Draco locked themselves up in their room the entire day, not wanting any other companies but each other. It gave Ron and Hermione time alone together. Most days, Caledonia and Hermione were found pouring over some books. To their utter surprises, Caledonia admit that she liked to read and often try to read as much she can but does not as much Hermione does. Draco and Ron would sit off to the side of the girls, playing wizard chess. Ron learned that the Slytherin prince was very good at chess and gave him a run for his money.
One day near the end of the week, she felt her necklace warm up considerably and pulsates. She gasped, standing up from the couch where she had been sitting, reading a book. Everyone turned to her, she stared wide-eyed at Draco, saying only one thing, and everyone understood, "It's time."
Draco didn't waste any time, standing up and swishing his wand over both of them, changing their comfortable muggle clothes into something of fine threads, a style of Purebloods. He wore his dark suits and she gowned in beautiful velvet and lace gown of gray, black and emerald.
Ron shuddered and mumbled, "Good luck. Wouldn't want to be you."
Caledonia gave a half-hearted glare and a smile and they all made their way to the front of the foyer. She grasped onto Draco's arm, giving her friends a silent look, asking them to pray for them. Hermione nodded, wringing her hands together and biting her lips. Draco gave a head nod and a quick flick of his wand; they vanished in dark emerald smoke.
She sighed as she felt her feet land on solid ground and looked up to the manor before them. She shuddered at the impending coldness that wasn't from the air and wrapped the lacy shawl tighter around her. He straightened himself and held his arm for her to take. They walked heads high and proud as they passed the gate and entered the manor. The place seemed colder and darker than before.
They met with her father, standing before the door to the main study. He looked them both over, gave an approving look, and tested Caledonia's mind, finding only thoughts worthy of Salazar Slytherin and false memories of Caledonia's childhood. He bowed his head, opened the door, and slipped in, with a gesture to follow.
"My Lord," Severus started, bowing low. "They're here as you requested."
Lord Voldemort's hissy voice replied from a chair that faced away from them. "That was quick, Severus. Thank you."
"As you please," Severus replied and moved back to stand in the corner, hidden in the shadow as he had always done, watching.
Lord Voldemort stood up and faced the young couple, his ruby eyes was hard as he checked the two over. "You both disappeared three weeks ago without words." His voice had bite in them.
Draco bowed and Caledonia followed suit. He softly replied, "I wasn't aware that we were to remain in the Malfoy Manor. We're both, after all, of age and married, free to do what we wished. Isn't that so?"
Voldemort glared at Draco, holding his wand and Draco braced himself for the familiar painful punishment for his cheeks. However, he lowered his wand and chuckled a bit. "I see. You are indeed right. But surely, isn't this your home?" He waved his hand to gesture to the entire place around them.
"My parent's home," Draco dared to correct. "Caledonia and I are staying at her place for the time being, until we found a different place to live. We have desired to spend some time alone and we haven't since the beginning of the summer."
"Young love." Voldemort sneered. "Now, your loyalties are what I'm questioning, young Draco and Caledonia." He stared at the two of them, probing their minds.
Draco felt the Dark Lord seeking through his memories. He was grateful that Caledonia had given him crash course in legilimency and he was able to put up altered memories for Voldemort to view. All Voldemort saw was their time in past two weeks at the Black's house, spending times together and Hermione and Ron were nowhere.
Voldemort then did the same, found similar memories in Caledonia's mind, and was surprised to brush on a thought of hers, about a proposition. He was curious and left her mind, meeting her emerald eyes. "I see you have a proposition… to ensure your loyalty." He said as he sat down in the chair he had gotten up from and gestured to the two other chairs that faced him. "Sit."
Caledonia and Draco moved to sit and she replied softly, not betraying her emotions. "You're right. I came up with an idea that would please you, My Lord."
"And do tell." The Dark Lord grinned, resting his chin on his long fingers.
She bowed her head, "Thank you. Since Draco and I are married, we cannot really return to Hogwarts for our last year. We wish to venture out and search for Harry Potter and bring him back to you."
"And how do you think you will achieve better than the rest of my Death Eaters?" Voldemort asked, curious.
"You must have heard from your other followers that Caledonia," Draco spoke, looking over at Caledonia, "had made friends with the other houses in her time at Hogwarts, including Gryffindors." Lord Voldemort looked interested and Draco almost felt relief but knew it wasn't over yet, "certain Gryffindors that you are seeking."
"And they would be?"
Caledonia smirked, playing many memories in her mind of her time at Hogwarts with Hermione, Ron, Ginny and many others. She widened her eyes, challenging Voldemort to seek in her mind and she gasped softly as he took the bait, watching and browsing her memories that she had laid out for him. "Yes," she almost hissed as he left her mind, "Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."
"Harry Potter's closest friends. And you believe your access to them will bring you to Harry Potter?" He asked.
She nodded once, "I have never met him, and he had never met me. I am sure, with good words, Hermione and Ron told him of me and if I find them, their guards will be down and that's when Draco and I can get them, bring them here for you."
Draco reached over and took her hand. "They disappeared two weeks ago, from a wedding party. We learned that they've often go to the Black's house and been waiting to intercept them. However, they have not shown up yet. Caledonia received a letter from Granger."
Caledonia reached in her pocket, pulled out a note, and handed it to Voldemort. He spoke reading the words, "Caledonia, we are going away for a while now that Harry is back and need Ron and me to help him. I will inform you when and where we should meet; he would love to meet you after all I've told him about you. We missed you and everyone else. Hermione." Hermione had written the letter for Caledonia to mislead the Dark Lord. He handed the letter back and grinned, "Very well. I shall leave that to you two. If you bring Harry Potter to me, I will grant you two the favor." He stood up and swished his long robe that seemed to fade into black mist on the ground. "However, you both must come when called upon. I must be reported from time to time."
Draco and Caledonia stood up, bowing low as they said together, "Yes, My Lord."
"I trust Severus will remain in touch with you, Caledonia?" Lord Voldemort moved to stand in front of her. She stared up at his tall imposing figure, nothing betraying her inner turmoil on her face. He reached out and traced a finger on her cheek, his finger pale upon her flush pink skin. She gave a tiny nod.
Severus stepped out of the shadow and bowed, "My Lord, she is my daughter after all and does keep in touch with me."
"Good. I'll leave that to you to get hold of her, but if she does not comply…" He left the threat hanging in the air. "I wouldn't like to mar such beautiful skin of your, darling Caledonia." He grinned, showing his perfect yet pointed teeth.
Draco and Caledonia bowed once more and left. Severus followed suit and closed the door behind them. They strolled silently toward the front gate. There stood Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, waiting for them. Draco saw his parents, went up to them and he took in their appearance. They looked waxy pale and gaunt, yet refined as Malfoy could be. He reached out, hugged his mother, and turned to his father, giving him a hug as well. Caledonia went up to Narcissa and hugged her and kissing her cheek, wiping a single tears that fell from the older woman's eye. She then turned to Lucius and fell into his arms for a brief hug before stepping back.
Narcissa handed a bag to Draco and whispered softly, "For your journey." She said and stepped back.
"Be safe." Lucius replied. He held Caledonia's hand and told her, "Don't get yourself in too much trouble; I don't want to lose a daughter like you." She smiled at him through her tears.
Severus then shook Draco's hand and turned to Caledonia, folding her into his arms, nuzzling her head as they stayed that way for good while before he stepped back. "All you needed for your journey is in the bag. It is not safe for the four of you to stay at the house much longer." He told them and watched as they stepped outside the gate and apparated away.
Landing on the foyer in Grimmauld Place, Draco called out, "Oi, Weasley, Granger! We're back."
They came running to them and Hermione threw herself at Caledonia, crushing her in a hug before letting her go and looking over her. "Are you all right?"
"Get the mark yet?" Ron asked, looking disgruntled.
Draco shook his head, "no, not this time. But we can't stay here any longer. We had to lead the Dark Lord thinking we've, excluding you two, been here for past two weeks, waiting for you guys and Harry Potter."
"He's right. It won't be long before the others decide to check this place out. We should leave within few hours." She told them and her friends looked pale and shaken.
"But where should we go?" Ron asked.
"I need to make one stop before we go find the rest of the horcruxes and hide out." Caledonia replied.
Caledonia and Draco stood before the Ministry of Magic's fountain. Everything had changed all around in the place. All around them, group of Death Eaters or Voldemort's supporters was inspecting everyone. She was holding the current Daily Prophet paper, her father's image blazoned on the front page, announcing that he is the current Headmaster of Hogwarts. She knew that he would make sure the children are safe and keep the other Slytherins in line under false pretenses. She was more than glad that he was stationed at Hogwarts than anywhere else.
True to their words, a few Death Eaters had begun to camp outside Grimmauld Place, waiting for the ever-elusive Harry Potter, and the four of them had left.
She gave a heavy sigh and rubbed her forehead, they had stayed at Grimmauld Place one more night and she had experienced another nightmare, a vision where Lord Voldemort was searching for someone in another country. A man named Gregorovitch and she couldn't understand why would the Dark Lord wanted to see another wand-maker. He had gotten himself one from Lucius Malfoy and she herself had broken it that night with seven Harry Potters.
Draco saw her pinched face and reached over; taking her hand that rubbed her forehead and swept her hair aside. Her scar concealed once again, yet the redness was visible through the concealment. With concerned eyes, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. Almost immediately, the pain was gone and the redness reduced. She sighed in relief, sagging slightly in his arm. "All right, love?" He asked.
She nodded and stared up at the large statue that stood in the fountain, it was gruesome with several witches and wizards on a block, compressing muggle and muggle-born people on the bottom with large words across the stone, 'Magic is Might'. It had repulsed her thoroughly.
She heard a soft gasp and turned to see woman she didn't know of yet her body behavior was familiar. Then it dawned on her who she is, "Mafalda Hopkirk." She greeted the woman with slight distain.
"And, you, Lady Malfoy." The woman replied in kind. "Impressive, isn't it?" She gestured to the fountain.
Draco stood there, like a statue as he looked on with the face he had adopted from his own father, contorted in slight sneer as if everyone and everything was below the sole of his shoes. Inwardly, he was seething with rage. He had grown up, drilled and trained the standing status of pureblood by his own father, yet as he got older, he began to see things differently and learned that his father wasn't a pureblood bigot as he thought but a man trapped to serve a horrible master for a long time, much like a house-elf. Then meeting Caledonia, learning who she was had turned his view of everyone around a hundred eighty degree. He didn't regret changing side in a heartbeat and knew that love in itself was much more powerful than anything.
"Do you have the coin?" Mafalda asked Caledonia, looking over her gown; she was at once dressed in dark gown of a high being.
Caledonia nodded and softly replied. "Be careful Hermione." She watched her friend in polyjuice walk off, heading to where Mafalda Hopkirk's office near Dolores Umbridge's. They had devised a plan where Caledonia and Draco would appear as themselves in the Ministry of Magic, taking a tour to check upon the Death Eaters, supposedly taking reports for Lord Voldemort. They took the name Malfoy to a great advantage, treated almost like a royalty. All the Death Eaters knew they were favored by the Dark Lord despite Draco's failure, all because Caledonia had impressed Lord Voldemort with her cunning plan to find Harry Potter and being the daughter of Severus Snape, his current number one Death Eater.
A man showed up, a disgruntled look on his face as he stared up at the statue. They both recognized Ron's expression through the polyjuice and Draco turned to him, his nose turned up as he spat, "Wipe that look off your face." He handed the coin to the man, "Go on and get to work and keep your nose to yourself."
The man, Reg Cattermole, nodded as he pocketed the coin and went the other way. Draco tugged onto Caledonia's arm and she followed him. The plan had been set into motion and they had roughly an hour to find the frog-like woman with the pink bow. They walked with hint of leisurely around the Ministry of Magic, nodding to every Voldemort supporter or Death Eaters that was running the place, giving sense of approval while they were horrorstruck under the surface.
They made to the level where Dolores Umbridge office would had been. There were people sitting at tables all around and papers flying in methodical order being checked over, stamped, and folded as they flew by each person. A man stood watch over them. He turned to the two of them as they approached.
"Lady and young Lord Malfoy, what bring you both here?" The man, obviously one of the lower rank Death Eater asked, he was burly and an impressive size.
Draco looked about while Caledonia picked up a book, 'MUDBLOODS And the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society' and thumbed through them. He then replied, "Checking the progress."
She dropped the book back on the pile of freshly made books and asked, "I'd like to see Dolores Umbridge, where is she?"
The man shrugged his shoulder, gesturing to her door behind them. "She just left, going to court proceeding. Might be all day, stacking all the mudbloods that came in." He crackled.
"I suppose, I need to see some of her paperwork, she wouldn't mind I take a look at them." Caledonia said with haughty air and turned to the door, she almost gasped as she saw the eye in the center of the door staring back at her. She recognized Mad-Eye Moody's eye and quelled the wave of sadness that washed over her. She went and pushed the door open and entered, closing it behind her. Draco was standing watch, making small talk with the other Death Eater.
She glanced and nearly balked as she felt like she was back in her fifth year. The office looked like a muggle medicine, Pepto-Bismol, had been thrown up all over. Laces and dollies were everywhere. She waved her wand, "Accio Locket." No luck came to her as she realized the locket wasn't in the office. She glanced around, saw piles of files on the desk, and went to investigate them. Scowling as she saw many files of the Order Members, including her own as Harry Potter. Harry Potter was Undesirable No. One and it made her sick. She heard a knock, dropped the files on the desk, and recomposed herself before stepping out to find Draco waiting for her.
"How it goes?" He asked quietly. She shook her head and he held his arm out for her to take. He then told the Death Eater, "We're on our way, all looks good. Keep up the good job." Then they left.
Reaching the elevator, she turned to him, asking, "The locket isn't in the room, now what?"
"He mentioned she would be in court room all day. That's where we should go now." He replied and the elevator moved, transporting them to another part of the place. They stopped before a long dark hallway that was familiar to her. She shuddered as it was so cold there. They stepped out and stood there, shuddering.
"Dementors." He said softly. "That woman's batty."
They turned to see a wet looking Reg appear, talking to Arthur Weasley before the elder redhead paused, recognizing Caledonia and Draco. His eyes widened and took a step forward, surprised to see them.
Reg stepped back, shuddering and waving his wand to dry himself. Arthur approached the other two, whispering, "What are you doing here?"
Caledonia gave him a pointed look, "We're here to investigate. We are able to move freely as we wish." She stepped up to him and whispered, "Be careful, you're being tracked. Everyone in your family as well."
Arthur nodded and fell back. "Right. I should be on my way. Good day to you, Reg." He told the other man, stepped on the lift, and was gone.
"Blimey." Ron muttered as he pocketed his wand and looked about, "Ugh, cold."
"Dementors." Caledonia told him. "We need to get Hermione out of here… I can't find the locket."
"Right, the juice's about to end soon," Ron muttered as he followed the young Malfoys.
They approached the courtroom at the end of the hallway to their left and saw Dolores Umbridge sitting high in the judge's place, looking sickeningly sweet with her patronus cat sitting on the desk, looking high above. They looked up to see many dementors hovering beyond the shield of patronus charm. The room was so cold and depressing yet Dolores was grinning like mad, happily questioning the poor woman in the center of the floor.
Draco stepped in and Dolores Umbridge stopped, gasping as she saw him. "Young mister Draco Malfoy, what bring you here? I heard you and your lovely wife are here today."
Caledonia stepped from the door, standing by Draco, looking upon Dolores with indifference. She spotted Mafalda Hopkirk sitting below Dolores, writing and grimacing. She then looked up, spotting the very object she was searching, the locket upon Dolores's chest, shining. "Everything seems to go smoothly." She told the woman and moved around the room to stand by the railing, "won't you mind if I watch?" She gave a coy smile.
"No, please do." Dolores Umbridge waved her hand to welcome them in and spotted Reg Cattermole in the doorway, "Oh good. Let us continue."
Draco moved to stand lazily beside Caledonia, but near where Hermione was sitting. He was loosely holding his wand in his pocket, ready to leap. Yaxley was sitting across them, grinning. Draco eyed the man with a sneer. He had never liked the Death Eater; he often was crude and favored tormenting muggles to brink of death.
"A wand was taken from you upon your arrival at the Ministry today, Mrs. Cattermole," Umbridge spoke, "Eight-and-three quarter inches, cherry, unicorn-hair core. Do you recognize that description?"
Mrs. Cattermole nodded, shaking as she gripped onto her supposed husband, Reg. Dolores peered down at her with distain, "Could you please tell us from which witch or wizard you took that wand?"
"Took? I didn't take it from anybody. I bought it when I was eleven years old. It, it chose me." The poor woman's face was streaked with tears and Caledonia felt her heart break for them woman and her soul blacken at the thought of Umbridge. She wanted to hex the woman to damnation when she laughed above them.
Clenching her wand in the fold of her dress, she felt Draco move to touch her arm and looked into his gray eyes. He gave a slight headshake. She fell deaf to Umbridge's words and stared at him, trying to understand what he was relaying. He broke the gaze and glanced to the woman, crying and shaking. 'Not yet' was all she understood from him and felt his hand on the back of her neck, thumb rubbing in small circle keeping her calm.
She spotted Dolores leaning over and her necklace swung free to hang low over the desk. Caledonia caught an opportunity and asked, "That's… that's pretty, Dolores."
Dolores Umbridge looked shocked and snapped, "What?" She glanced down to her locket and sat back. "Oh, yes… thank you. An old family heirloom." She patted the locket down on her bosom. "The S stands for Selwyn… I'm related to the Selwyns. Indeed, a pity that I'm not related to a few pureblood families." She gave Caledonia a pointed look at her and then Draco then back to Mary Cattermole. "That the same cannot be said for you. 'Parents professions: greengrocers.'"
Yaxley jeered while Dolores looked like she had sucked on her favorite candy. In all that, Ron seethed and reached in his pocket and took out a black bag filled with dust. Draco saw from the corner of his eye and his light ministration upon Caledonia's neck paused and he gripped her neck lightly. She froze and her eyes glanced up to him. She saw his eyes looking elsewhere and followed toward Ron, just in time to see him throw the shimmering dust down, exploding into black mist, clouds surrounded them and there were screams.
Ron had dragged the shocked woman from the courtroom and Caledonia whipped her wand, blasting a spell toward in the general area where Umbridge was and heard the woman go silent, slumping back in her chair. Draco had blasted toward where Yaxley was and heard a thud. They heard Hermione scramble and fall over them, they got up and ran, the Dementors were swooping down upon them and she turned, recalling her happiest moments. The happy memory came quickly and easier and she shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A powerful jet of light shot out and to her shock as she had expected an large deer to come out but didn't, instead a huge spiraling dragon swooshed out and attacked the dementors, driving them away and it's roar was almost realistic, echoing the courtroom, nearly shaking the ground around them. She felt her hand tugged and they ran to the lift and slammed the door before the dementors had another chance upon them.
As they moved away toward the main chamber of the Ministry of Magic, they righted themselves and Hermione turned to Caledonia, "Here… it's the real thing." She shuddered.
Caledonia took the locket, feeling the weight and the evil emanating from it. She slipped it over her neck and tucked it down her dress between her breasts.
"Dragon?" Draco asked as they stopped. "I thought your patronus was an elk."
Hermione grinned at the two of them, "One's patronus change when he or she is in love with someone. It's says it all… it's an impressive Antipodean Opaleye dragon your patronus took form." She gave Draco a pointed look.
Caledonia looked over Draco's shoulder to see Mary Cattermole shaking and gripping on her supposed husband. She reached over and touched the woman and she yelped, shrinking from her touch. "It's all right. I would suggest you to leave the country. Take your children and go. Don't come back."
The woman stared at her wide-eyed, confused and nodded shakily as they stepped out of the lift and she turned to Ron, grasping his face and giving him a kiss. Hermione gasped at the two of them and seethed. Ron then shifted back to his normal self and broke free from the woman who looked at him with shock. The real Reg Cattermole appeared, staring at them with questions and betrayal on his face.
Ron stammered and told him, "Just take her!" He gently pushed Mary toward the real Reg and moved past them, grabbing Hermione. Caledonia made quick wave of her wand to cast notice me not spell upon them.
They quietly made their way toward the fireplaces and Ron and Hermione stepped in and waited as Draco and Caledonia stepped in, feeling as Hermione grasped their intertwined hand, however Yaxley appeared, screaming, "Seal the exit! Seal it! Granger and Weasley's are here!" Caledonia swished her head to see Hermione grasp her hand tightly and they vanished in an echoing pop.
She had assumed they were landing in the foyer of Number 12 Grimmauld Place but another apparition squeezed them all once again and they crashed into the forest, she took a stumble and rolled to stop. Standing up, she glanced around, not recognizing where she was and turned to find Hermione hovering over Ron. She swallowed as she saw blood everywhere.
"Where's Draco?" She asked, kneeling beside Ron as she was thrown the bag from Hermione.
"Essence of Dittany." Hermione only responded, shaking as she pulled Ron's shirt off to find his arm mangled and bloodied, muscles and bone exposed. Ron was shaking and pale on the ground.
Caledonia ripped the bag open and accioed the vial and handed it to Hermione. She stood up and called out, "Draco!"
She heard a groan and gasped, running toward the sound. She gasped as she saw Draco standing there, holding his stomach. "No!" She reached to him, taking hold of his hands only to find them warm and sticky. She glanced at her hands, seeing them crimson with blood. It was hard to see since his suits were black. He winced as he leaned back against the tree. "Splinched?" She asked and he shook his head.
He ground out with pain, "Crashed through the tree." He groaned as she touched his stomach, to find a branch sticking through his stomach, about an inch in width. She wasn't sure how long it was and felt around his back, relieved to know it didn't go all the way through. She pulled him to make him lie down and he did with much protests.
She pulled her own bag from her belt and opened it, lost at what to do. She scrambled though the bag and pulled out several vials, recognizing them to be her father's work and glanced at the names. She uncorked one labeled 'calming draught' and took a swig before pressing it to Draco's mouth. "Drink, please…" She told him, her hands were shaking violently and beginning to calm down as the potion hit her. He drank the potion and she threw the empty bottle aside, looking through the others, pulling two more from the pile.
"Draco, I'm going to pull this out." She told him, pulling his shirts apart, wincing at how much blood he was spilling, marring his pale skin. He groaned and nodded. She looked around, saw a twig nearby, thick enough, and picked it up, placing it to his lips, "Bite down on it." She told him and he did.
Waving her wand, she swished to clean the blood away, yet more spilled and she covered her fingers over the wound and with her free hand, she pulled the stick out. He yelled through his teeth and nearly trashed under her firm hand. Throwing the bloodied stick aside, she waved her wand, casting a wound closing spell over the wound repeatedly until the wound seemed to stop bleeding. He panted shallowly, his eyes staring blankly to the sky above them.
She whimpered as she checked his pulse, finding it weakening. She scrambled around, looking for what could help and uncorked the blood-replenishing potion and placed it to his lips, forcing him to swallow. When enough was down his throat, he closed his eyes, breathing faintly, but still breathing. She grabbed another vial, reading 'dittany essence' and placed few drops of it over his wound. Sighing in relief, his wound seemed to heal and close up, leaving a faint star scar on his stomach near his navel. But she knew from her father's lectures during those nights she had spent with him brewing potions, they only merely closed the surface wound, he was still torn up inside and needed to heal or else, he would bleed open. Wiping her forehead, she glanced over to the side, seeing Hermione talking softly to Ron and their eyes met.
"What happened?" She asked.
Hermione shook her head. "When we got to Grimmauld Place, I saw there was Death Eaters in the house and had to act quickly, apparating us to here, the first thing I could think of. We're in the Dean of the Forest. I came here once with my parents." She explained, her voice quavering.
"And Ron got splinched," Caledonia filled in, seeing Hermione nod. "But Draco crashed through the tree and impaled himself." She looked at the nasty looking stick; it was indeed sharp and jagged.
Hermione stood up, "We should set camp here for the time being." She moved around the area and held her wand up whispering several charms that Caledonia recognized to be shield, notice-me-not and some more. She reached in the bag and pulled out a tent, it unfolded from tiny size to a simple one-person tent. She knew it looked small from the outside, yet on the inside was enough to fit ten people or more if desired.
It was well into the night that they finally settled down and a fire burning outside the tent. Draco and Ron were sleeping soundly inside the tent while Caledonia and Hermione sat around the fireplace.
After a long silence between the two young women, Hermione asked, "How did you manage to remain so calm and heal Malfoy? All I could think was the Dittany and nothing else?"
Caledonia looked up, her eyes haunted as she remember how there was so much blood pouring from Draco's stomach. She shook her head. "I don't know…"
"You seem to become so smart since…" Hermione stopped as she looked away toward the fire before her. "Since you've changed."
"Maybe it is true females are smarter and have more common sense than men." Hermione had to chuckle weakly at that. "I really don't know, all those time I spent in the Slytherin Dungeon and at Malfoy's Manor, I read. I can understand now why you like to read, it's like escaping from reality. It also help with my father being the Potion Master, he's always quizzing me whenever he could." She frowned, recalling the book that she had hidden away in the Room of Requirement, remembering a particularly nasty hex.
Hermione looked to Caledonia, "And marriage suits you very well. It actually made you and Draco so much more mature and stable."
"I suppose." They fell into another silence for a long while before Caledonia decided to turn in, going into the tent, stopping to check on Ron to find him sleeping peacefully, his arm wrapped up in bandage. She turned away and went to an adjoining room and pushed the curtain apart to find Draco also sleeping, his breath shallow but his color flushed. She smiled softly as she changed her clothes into warm pajamas and slipped in next to him, careful of his wound and curled into his side. In his sleep, he turned slightly and wrapped his long arm around her waist and she fell asleep in mere seconds.
The next morning, Draco was awake, yet feeling lightheaded as he sat at the table. Hermione had made small breakfast for everyone after finding some food in Caledonia's bag. Ron remained in bed; dozing and Caledonia stepped through the curtain from her and Draco's bedroom, glancing around. She opted to wear dark skinny jeans and long dark gray sweater with large cowl neck. Draco gave her a small leering smirk and she rolled her eyes at him.
"I realized something," Hermione started as she handed Caledonia a bowl of biscuit and a side of egg, slightly runny. "Yaxley saw you both apparating away with Ron and I. Won't he go to the Dark Lord and have both of you branded traitors?"
Draco and Caledonia looked at each other, the brainy Gryffindor did have a point and Draco replied, "We'll have to wait and see. He believes we're tracking you and Ron down to find Harry Potter."
"I see." Hermione said as she sat down.
Caledonia closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped, clutching her chest. "Speak of the devil." She softly said and stood up. Hermione paled and Ron gasped from his place on the cot. Draco struggled to stand up, he was still very sore in his abdomen. He reached over to her and touched her hand that clutched her chest.
"He's calling us?" She nodded and pocketed her wand in her knee-high boots and disappeared into her room before returning with couple of cloaks. She handed one to Draco and they both stepped outside, walking toward the edge of the protective barrier. Hermione had followed them.
"If we're not back by night fall, move to another location." Draco told her as he held onto Caledonia. Hermione nodded, her face had worry and fear written all over. They stepped outside the circle and with a pop they were gone.
Caledonia looked up to the foreboding Manor before them. The sky looked gloomy and dark compared to the forest in Iceland. "Do we have to live here after it's all over?" She asked quietly as she spotted couple of Death Eaters at the gate, guarding.
Draco shook his head, steeling his resolves and walked tall as he pushed the pain aside. "If you want to, then I'd think you've gone crazy as darlin' Aunt Bella." He replied as they moved through the gate like wisp of smoke. The two guards nodded to them and they strolled down the lane and into the Manor.
The place seemed deserted as they approached the study where Lord Voldemort would be waiting for them. Caledonia stared at the great door of the study, her eyes pale jade. Draco took her elbow and they entered, to find Lord Voldemort standing by the window, his back to them.
They gave a deep one kneed bow and waited. Voldemort turned to them and spoke with hissing voice, "Rise and report."
Draco and Caledonia rose and he replied, "We made a lead yesterday, however Yaxley ruined it for us."
"Oh, indeed? I heard differently." Voldemort sneered.
Caledonia stepped forward slightly, "What Draco say is true. We found led on Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley that they would be making appearance in the Ministry of Magic. What we didn't know that they would be well disguised. We searched all around, mind you, you will be glad to hear that everything is running smoothly at the Ministry of Magic, like clockwork." She inclined her head a bit, "it wasn't until we were invited to stay during a court proceeding for a," She paused, inwardly apologizing to her best friend, "mudblood woman. It was when things went crazy and we were chasing them. We managed to get to them in the floo and Yaxley had to ruin it."
Voldemort peered into her mind, seeing her modified memories how everything had gone and withdrew. He seemed to accept for the moment. "Well, just to let you both know," he drawled. "Yaxley reported that the four of you apparated into a certain house, at Grimmauld Place, but apparated once again, leaving him behind."
"He's right. We managed to arrive into some unfamiliar forest and I had to deal with Draco. He was wounded in the apparition and they apparated again, we lost them, my Lord."
Voldemort's pale face contorted in a hint of anger as his lips curled up in a sneer. He swished his wand as he murmured 'curcio' and Caledonia fell to her knees, crying out in pain as her whole body racked. Draco made a start and held his place as he saw Voldemort glaring at him. He stepped back and hid his pain, waiting until the Dark Lord release his wife from the curse.
It wasn't long before Caledonia was released and fell to the ground twitching and shaking, breathing hard. He waited until Lord Voldemort moved away from her and went to her side, helping her up.
"Do not fail me again. The next time you both fail, you will be marked. I am rather lenient this time and my patient is wearing thin." He told them, and then waved his arm to dismiss them.
Draco held her close to his body as he half walked and half dragged both of them to the other side of the gate and apparated. He then let out a sigh of relief as they landed in the forest that they had left not very long ago. He fell to his knees and held her to his body, holding her as he felt every twitching and racking of her body. He whispered comforting words into her ears and rubbed her back, tears streaming down his face.
Hermione found them a while later, shell-shocked and relived, helped them into the tent, and sent them to bed, knowing an encounter with the Dark Lord took toll on anybody. She fed them some calming draughts and some pain potions and tended to Draco's wound, which tore open and was bleeding once again.
Caledonia slept for couple of days straight while Draco brooded in their room, watching over her. Ron and Hermione made small talks together, sitting around idly as she read books she had brought with her and Ron playing wizard chess (which to his joy to discover that Hermione had packed) against himself.
By the fourth day, Caledonia woke up to find Ron and Draco glaring at each other, over the board of Wizard Chess, slightly growling and Hermione sitting to the side, reading in a book, engrossed. She stretched and yawned, feeling better and refreshed as she entered the general area of the tent and waited. It seemed no one had noticed her yet.
"Oh look, Crabbe and Goyle tromping through the forest naked!" Caledonia said and to her amusement, Ron, Draco and Hermione snapped their head toward the open doorway of the tent and then a blink second later, they jumped to gather around her.
"Caledonia!"
"Honestly! That was gross!"
"You looked, Ron." Hermione said exasperated and tugged Caledonia toward the table and gathered whatever she could find to feed the other girl.
Caledonia gave a silent thank and started to eat, wolfing down her food in true Harry Potter fashion and Draco gave her a strange look, watching her as she filled herself up.
"Oh really Caledonia, and I thought you had better manners." Hermione huffed as she sat down again, taking the book into her lap to read.
Around mouthful of food, Caledonia replied, "We'll see what you say after having a bout of Cruciatus curse on you and sleeping for few days to recapture."
After she had finished eating, they agreed it was best to keep moving and not stay in one place too long. This was what they've done for the next few weeks as the weather became somewhat colder and colder.
She stood looking over the hill, down to a small twinkling town some distant. They had run out of food and resorted to camping near a town from time to time. Only Caledonia and Draco was able to pass without notice under disguise of couple young muggles to get whatever they needed.
She felt warm body pressed against her back and she leaned back, two strong arms wrapped around her and she sighed. "Kunt for your thought?" He asked softly into her hair.
"Not a galleon, seeing you're rich beyond imagination?" She replied. She felt his smirk on top of her head.
"I should've known you're a gold-digger." He turned her around, seeing a small twinkle of laugher in her eyes before it vanished once again. Tilting her head up to meet his gray eyes, "Love, what it is?"
"We got one horcrux, but gained no clue for the rest. We've been on the run in the past few weeks…" She reached down and pulled up the locket, showing it to him. "There's no way to destroy it."
He frowned as he turned the locket over in his hand. True to her word, they had attempted several times to destroy it or even open it but without fail. They even learned that she was the only one who was able to carry it without any negative effect from the locket. The locket fed on somebody's fear and despair, making them gloomy and morose, in some case, snappish. However, Caledonia, with her strong legilimency skill, was able to control and block out the locket's dark magic.
She rested her head on the hollow of his collarbone, sighing. "They've been talking about me."
He understood what she had meant. In their travel, Hermione and Ron would abruptly stop talking if either one of them came into the tent or within the view. It didn't bother Draco at first but after a while, he was beginning to think they were conspiring against them. It was bound to happen, the four of them living together out in the wild, hiding out.
They, the four, had discussed repeatedly about the other horcruxes, trying to find ideas and often came to dead ends. They even went into Muggle London, only to learn the orphanage that Tom Riddle grew up in was demolished. They even played with the idea that possibly a few horcruxes may be in Hogwarts but the idea was shot down knowing Dumbledore would've found them already. They all agreed there was six, perhaps seven, knowing Nagini was one of them. That left about three to discover what and where and five to destroy.
"They may be talking about you, but don't let that bother you. They worry for you." Draco soothed as he rubbed her back in circles. "You got me."
She laughed softly, her tears wetting his shirt. "Yeah, I've always got you." She looked up to him and met his eyes. "I've missed your eyes being blue."
He shrugged, "They'll be blue for you." He gazed into her smoky emerald eyes, they were not their usual luster, but fogged. "Fuck." He said softly. "I don't like this." He let her go and ran his fingers though his hair as he paced a bit before her. "It's really killing my libido."
She watched him with bemusement and asked, "What are you on about?"
He turned to her, frustration evidence on his face. "The whole thing. We should've been in Hogwarts, in our own bed and spending the days, reading books and keeping younger students in line. But no, we're out here, with no idea what we're doing in the first place. It's like having to wait for him to call us and wonder what we would tell him so we'd not get the curse on us." He was beginning to look frazzled. "Caledonia… what the hell are we doing out here?" He then went to her, pulling her flush against his body, there was desperation and hunger in his eyes and she barely gasped. "We have not been together…"
"But I am here." She told him and he shook his head, pressing her hips tighter against his and she swallowed, feeling his hardness against her abdomen.
"I mean that. I hurt so much, not to be able to touch you, love you and ravish you like crazy. I can't, because of them! Because of this!" He picked up the locket.
She leaned up and kissed him softly and he sighed before pressing her head closer, their slow kisses became into a desperate hungry ones, of grief, anger, sorrow and frustration. They broke apart a few minutes later, panting heavily. She turned her hooded eyes to the tent some distance away, the light aglow from inside. She could see shadows of Ron and Hermione moving about inside.
She pushed away from Draco, holding a finger to her lips as she made a step toward the tent, intent to tell them that they were going into town for a bit but froze as she heard snaps and bustling. Draco grabbed her and held her tight against him; he had also heard and glanced around.
Ron and Hermione stepped out, glancing around, their wands drawn. They also heard and to their surprises, voices carried through the forest.
Draco swished his wand, silently casting silenco upon their feet and they both went over to Ron and Hermione. They gave each other a glance and with unsaid agreement, they moved toward the edge of the boundary of their camp, hiding behind a large gnarly tree, listening. On the other side of the tree was a fire going with several people.
They learned they were people on the run from the Ministry of Magic, muggleborn, half-blood and goblins. Ted Tonks was among them with Dean Thomas, their classmates from Hogwarts. Couple of goblins that Caledonia recognized from the Gringotts, Griphook and Gornuk. There was couple other men they didn't recognize.
Silently, they sat and listened, learning of few things going on in the wizardly world. Hogwarts had become a fortress, students split to three grounds, neutral, the followers of the Dark Lord and the follower of the light. They were surprised to learn that Ginny and Neville was the leaders of the light, attempting to break in the Headmaster's office to steal the sword of Gryffindor. However, only to learn it was a fake.
They also learned that Quibbler, from Xenophilus Lovegood was printing mostly facts that rivaled the Prophet's Rita Skeeters' articles, supporting for the causes of Harry Potter, the Chosen One. It was then they decided they heard enough and stealthily made their way back to the tent and sat around the table in the general area.
"The sword…" Ron started.
Hermione grabbed her bag, sticking her arm deep in her own bag all the way up to her armpit and pulled something impossibly large out, a portrait frame and they all saw the title at the base of the frame, it belonged to one Phineas Nigellus. She set it up and pointed her wand, and told them, "If somebody swapped the real sword for the fake while it was in Dumbledore's office, he will have seen it. His frame is right beside the case." She glanced to Caledonia, "You're going to ask him. He is your supposed great-grandfather."
Caledonia sighed and waited as Hermione and Ron moved to stand behind the frame and started to call out, "Phineas? Phineas Nigellus?" Nothing had happened and she rolled her eyes, remembering how the high and mighty purebloods are. "Please? Can I speak with you?"
"Please' always helps." Replied a cold snide voice as he appeared in the portrait, looking at Caledonia disdainfully. "Ah, it's you."
Caledonia gave him a scathing look that she had perfected from Draco. "If you'll give me some respect, I'll give you one as well, we're family after all, dear great-grandfather."
Phineas could only stare flabbergasted. True to Caledonia's words, none of the Headmaster portraits had known her secrets from all those times she had spent in Dumbledore's office for that Dumbledore always made sure all the portraits didn't hear anything. It was one of the fewest secrets that Dumbledore felt wasn't worth the risk for any portraits to know, they have a tendency to gossip and that it was the portraits that Dumbledore always seem to know everything going on in Hogwarts.
"How is that possible?" Phineas asked.
"I'm the granddaughter of Orion Black. He had a one-night stand with a muggle woman and she bore him a daughter he never knew. That daughter was my mother. Satisfied?" She then thought of something and held up her glittering ring on her left hand, "And I am a Malfoy." She gestured to Draco who sat lazily beside her. "I want to know something that I've overheard through the grapevines. Will you tell me?"
The man in the portrait shrugged, "Depends on what you want to know, girl."
She gave a typical smirk that she knew was of the Black's family. Phineas eyed her warily and she asked, "The Sword of Gryffindor."
"Ah," the former headmaster stroked his pointed beard, "yes, that silly girl acted most unwisely there." Ron looked about to retort but Hermione stepped on his foot. "Thieving from the Headmaster."
"The sword doesn't belong to anyone but those of Gryffindor and my father isn't one," she told him.
"Your father?"
"Oh, right, I'm Severus Snape's daughter as well." Caledonia replied offhandedly and took pleasure to see Phineas sputter once again. "But that's beside the point. "What happened to the sword? We heard the one in the case was a fake. Where is the real one?"
"I believe the last time I saw the sword of Gryffindor leave its case was when Professor Dumbledore used it to break open a ring."
Caledonia glanced to Draco bemused. "But that was almost over a year ago. And why would he use the sword to break the ring?" She turned back to the portrait.
"Are you dense? Must be the taint of muggle in your blood, the shame." Phineas snorted lightly and Draco reached over and shook the frame, shaking the former headmaster, getting indignant shouts.
"Insult my wife; I'll do more to your portrait!" Draco snarled as he sat back down. "Just answer her!"
Phineas eyed them both with scowl and then huffed. "The sword is goblin made." He then turned; fading away to black, retreating to the Hogwarts frame he came from.
Hermione shifted the frame and returned it into her bag. "Goblin made." She thought and pulled out her books and flipped through, reading and muttering under her breath. Draco rolled his eyes and reached over, closing her books, getting angry sputter from her.
"You forget, you have a pureblood equality here – moi. Anything made of goblin silver, gold do not need cleaning or care, and they're of the best quality, very durable and strong. Stronger than your standard metals, they can break through diamonds."
"Oh." Hermione slumped in her seat. "Oh!" her eyes went wide as she realized something. "Caledonia! It's what you can destroy the horcruxes! Isn't it covered in basilisk venom, making it stronger?"
"Basilisk venom? Whoa, where did this come from?" Draco asked.
Caledonia turned her head, resting her chin on her hand, "I ran the very sword though a basilisk back in my second year, killing it. It was coated in its slime. I suppose it's pretty stronger now. But why did Dumbledore put a fake one in the case?"
"I suppose, he needed it and knew it was what he would need to destroy horcruxes." Ron replied and was earned surprised look from the other three. "What?"
"Something intelligent coming from your mouth. It surely is the end of the world. "Draco replied and Ron scowled, turning beet red and stomped over to the bed, lying down.
"Where would it be?" Caledonia asked, thinking. "Not at Hogwarts, obviously."
Hermione and Caledonia began to talk together, thinking of different places and arguing over whatever if Dumbledore trusted Snape or not. Draco sat back, listening with mild interest as he thumbed through one of Hermione's book.
"Ron?" Caledonia looked around, noticing that Ron wasn't with them and saw him lying on the bed, with a scowl on his face. "What's with you?" She asked, she had noticed the red-head had been growing quieter over the last few days, becoming surly and morose, much more than the rest of them.
"Oh, remembered me, have you?" he bit back.
"What?" She stood up, facing Ron.
"You carry on; don't let me spoil your brainy fun."
"What are you on about?" Caledonia stepped toward Ron. "You have problem? Tell me."
"Problem?" Ron said as he sat up, glaring at her. "There's no problem! Not according to you, anyway!"
She stopped few feet from Ron, crossing her arms as she stared at her best friend. "We always tell each other if there's something wrong. Come on, tell me."
"All right, I'll tell you." Ron stood up, easily towering over Caledonia but she didn't back down. "You're not the same anymore! How am I supposed to know if you're on the right side? Going off to see You-Know-who every chances he calls you. Don't expect me to skip up and down because there's some other damn thing we've got to find. It's all added to the list of stuff you don't know."
"I don't know?" She spat. "You know very well why Draco and I have to report to him! So he'd not guess who I am!"
"Yeah? What are you?" Ron sneered, "The Chosen One? The whole world would laugh at you, look at you!" He gestured up and down at her, "You're a girl! You're not Harry anymore. You're different. I wouldn't be surprised if you turned side."
Draco started, glowering at Ron but Hermione held him back, holding his arm. He glanced at her and she shook her head, softly mouthing, "They have to work it out. It's long time coming."
"what?" Draco looked flabbergasted.
"It's not like I'm having the time of my life here," said Ron, "you know. With my arm mangled and nothing good to eat and freezing our arses off every night. You know, we should've been farther along after few weeks running around. But we're not."
Hermione swallowed, "Ron."
Caledonia was stock still as she said softly, "I thought you knew what you'd signed up for."
Ron huffed, looking away, replying in fashion, "Yeah, I thought I did too."
Draco had enough and stood up, "So, what part of it isn't living up to expectations?" He came to stand behind Caledonia, glaring at the red-head. "Five-star hotels? Going back to mummy by Christmas? Finding everything we need on the list every other day?" He snorted, "It should be the other way around between you and me, I'm the supposed high and mighty pureblood that demand everything at his beck and call. Not you!" He sneered. Caledonia elbowed him but he didn't respond.
Ron looked back at Caledonia, ignoring Draco. "We thought you knew what you were doing! We thought Dumbledore had told you what to do, we thought you had a real plan!"
Hermione swallowed, tears falling down her face. Caledonia stared at Ron. So that's what they were talking about behind her back. Questioning her motivation, her plans, and her leadership. "Well, sorry to let you down. I've been straight with you from the start; I told you everything Dumbledore told me. And in case you haven't noticed," She gestured toward the table, "We found what we can do to destroy the Horcrux."
"Yeah?" Ron snapped, "We're about as near getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them. Nowhere effin near in other words?"
Hermione stood up, going to Ron, tugging at his good arm. "Ron, that's enough."
Ron shook his arm, moving away from the three of them. "Maybe you're just taking them to him."
Caledonia reached in and took out the locket. "It's still here."
"If you have so much doubt in Caledonia, why are you still here?" Draco asked his voice held contempt. "If it weren't anything to you, I gave up my right to the name of Malfoy to be with her, I made deal with the prince of darkness to keep us from getting marked and have her become some kind of whore for the Dark Lord." Hermione gasped and Ron paled. They never knew of these. "That's right. What kept you here?" He spat at his feet. "If you're not so satisfied here, go home. Go back to your mummy!"
Ron went from pale to deep red, almost purple, "Yeah, maybe I will!" Ron shouted. "It would've been different, if you haven't changed! You would have given a rat's fart about my sister and the others! She shouldn't be risking herself! You hear!"
Hermione moved to step in between them, "Ron! I don't think it means anything new has happened, anything we don't know about: think, Ron, your family involved in this. Bill's scarred, plenty have seen that George lost an ear by now and you're supposed to be on deathbed with spattergroit." She muttered as she realized she had lost track.
"Oh, you're sure, aren't you? Right then, well, I won't bother myself about them. It's all right for you two, isn't it; with your parents safely out of the way…"
Caledonia pushed Hermione aside and slapped Ron with all her might, her hand stinging as Ron fell silent. She hissed, "My mother's dead. For the longest time, I thought my father was too. But no, my father is alive, but forced to kiss the Dark Lord's robe in the last twenty years! Hermione's parents are gone, down under without a memory of her! How dare you?" She held her hand up, ready to slap him another one. "If you really feel you do not need to be here, then go."
Ron shrank back, not wanting another slap from her. "Fine." He spat. He moved toward the tent door and held it up; rain was falling down heavily overhead. They had not noticed it had started to rain and pelting down on the top of the roof. He turned his angry blue eyes to Hermione. "Hermione?"
Hermione glanced from Ron to Caledonia. "I…"
"You're staying?" Ron asked his voice tinged with something unknown.
"Yes… I am staying, Ron, we said we'd go with her, said we'd help…"
"I get it. You chose her. Just you know this, that" he jabbed his finger toward Caledonia who was being held in Draco's arms. "Isn't Harry Potter. He's gone, he's dead." He snarled and stepped out, throwing back the tent flap.
Hermione gasped, "Ron, no… please!" She ran to the flap and outside into the rain. "Come back!" She yelled.
Draco and Caledonia stared at the flap, hearing her yelling over the roar of the rain falling overhead. Her shouts became muffled sobbing. She pushed herself out of Draco's arms and went outside, finding Hermione soaked to the bone, on her knees in mud, crying her eyes out. She helped her up and she shuddered, hiccupping, "He's g-g-gone! Disapparated!" She allowed herself being led back in the tent and set in a chair. Draco had dragged a blanket from Ron's bunk and wrapped it around her shoulder.
Caledonia stepped back and whispered, "I'm sorry," and retreated into her room.
Draco looked down at Hermione and she looked up, asking in a mousy voice. "Would've this been different, as Ron said?"
He sighed and ran his finger though his long pale blond hair; idly thinking he needed a haircut soon. "I honestly don't know. But if you're asking me. Maybe not so much in a way."
She then stared at the table in front of her. "How would that be so?"
"Fate's a bitch, really. A life is set out for someone, and if it had changed, the path only been altered one loom down, following the first with slight change." Draco told her and then slipped behind the flap to his room, leaving Hermione to ponder.