Harry struggled with the large, cardboard box in his hand as he lifted the latch on the gate. The gate snapped shut with a click as he swung the box jauntily from his left hand. The cobblestone steps were painfully familiar now, so much that he no longer had to watch his step to avoid any stealthy cracks. He confidently rang the doorbell, hearing the undeniable melody echo throughout the house before the door fully opened, revealing a tired-looking woman.
"Come in, Harry," Andromeda said warmly, stepping aside slightly to allow him in. She stifled a yawn and rubbed her bleary eyes, before making an attempt to flatten her somewhat unruly hair.
Harry took note of this as he rubbed the soles of his trainers on the mat adorning the doorstep before stepping inside. "Is everything alright, Andromeda?" He inquired politely. "You look... well—"
"Awful?" Andromeda asked, summoning a sheepish grin. "Well, this is what happens when a baby catches a nasty fever and keeps you up all night, emitting colorful bogies and what not."
"Is Teddy alright?" Harry sounded alarmed. He took his duty as Godfather to Teddy very seriously, so much that even the slightest cough or strange noise (courtesy of the baby, of course) would provoke him to become thoroughly worried (or completely batshit crazy, as Ron so eloquently stated.)
"You worry too much, Harry," Andromeda admonished jokingly. She caught sight of Harry's frightened expression and sighed in an affectionate manner. "Yes, dear. He's on the verge of a full recovery. And even if there is a chance for relapse, it's nothing a good dose of Pepper-up Potion couldn't fix."
Harry breathed an audible sigh of relief as Andromeda led him into the living room, where a standard tea tray was waiting. It had become a type of tradition between the two of them to enjoy a cuppa during his frequent visits, now that their relationship had thawed quite a bit. Over time, Harry became extremely fond of the agreeable woman, no longer making that prompt connection between her and Bellatrix Lestrange at first sight. Aside from that, the mere obligation of tending to Teddy had forged a bond between them, so much that Andromeda would even go as far as considering Harry her ally.
Today, Andromeda had already set out the tray on a coffee table. Steam billowed from the ornate kettle and a pitcher of milk stood precariously towards the edge, while an assortment of scones took up about half the space all on its own. Andromeda had also included an extra tidbit for the two— a slab of Honeydukes' finest chocolate.
"Remus insisted," Andromeda explained as she beckoned for him to sit down on the davenport. "And I know a sweet boy like you hardly indulges in these typical things..." She trailed off as she immediately handed him a cup balanced upon a saucer, liberally pouring the brown liquid into it.
Harry snorted at the thought, recalling last night's rendezvous with Ginny. "Ta," He said jovially as he added milk to the fragrant concoction, eying the various samples of scones in the adjacent basket.
"Don't neglect the chocolate completely, now," A wise voice suggested out of the blue.
Startled, Harry shook in his seat, nearly dousing himself with the tea. Groaning, he craned his neck and caught sight of the grand-looking portrait hanging upon the wall. "Remus, mate, you need to stop doing that," He chided good-naturedly. "One of these days you're going to give me a heart attack!"
"If he doesn't fatten you up to Dudley's size first," Tonks countered, now taking part in the conversation. "Wotcher, Harry."
"Dora, it'd probably take years for Harry to attain that weight," Remus argued with an underlying smile while Harry waved meekly. "I doubt a few squares of chocolate would make a considerable difference."
Tonks squinted her eyes, as if taking note of everything in the room. "True," She admitted dejectedly. "But what if that chocolate was paired with those scones? And what if Harry were to return back to the Burrow and eat a month's worth of Molly's meals in one sitting? I'd say we'd have our own little Dudley in a fortnight."
Andromeda shook her head slightly, hiding a smile. "You'd think they'd have better things to discuss," She sighed, eying the portraits conspiratorially.
"I heard that, Mum!" Tonks called good-naturedly from her frame.
"True, Andromeda," Harry responded, grinning despite the inevitable difference of everything. It wasn't supposed to be this way, what with Tonks hindered by the confinements of a portrait and Remus not being able to taste the creamy sweet himself. And yet, it was a compromise, and Harry was considerably grateful for that. "But you can't deny it, you know. Depending on how you look at it, it's somewhat more fun this way."
Rabastan shrugged the opaque cloak over his shoulders, closing the clasp at the base of his neck. He tugged on a pair of dragon hide gloves onto his calloused fingers for old times' sake, flexing his fingers as the heavy material molded over rattled skin and bone. His wand lay stowed away in a convenient pocket, easy to reach during the most chaotic moments. With a satisfied sneer, he realized that this entire charade wouldn't be short of chaotic if it went according to plan.
The plan that he had composed all by himself, unbeknownst to Rodolphus.
Rodolphus wanted things carefully construed and planned meticulously, down to the last spell. He wanted synchronized and foolproof and the guarantee of imminent pain on behalf of their victims. That very last clause was something Rabastan was more than willing to oblige to; the rest seemed completely unnecessary. It would take an unreasonable amount of time for their gang to carry out these plans with painstaking perfection, and their time was running out steadily. Their charmed hideout wouldn't remain oblivious under the noses of those moronic Aurors for long, and setting up base elsewhere would prove to be tedious in the long run. It had taken weeks to construct the labyrinth-like lair, and Rabastan wasn't willing for Rodolphus to dwindle their efforts to dust with his maddeningly idle tactics.
Besides, Lucius Malfoy (the only thing keeping them from referring to him as a sniveling blood-traitor were the years he had selflessly devoted to the cause), a useful aid, had formally withdrawn himself from their side as an active member, regardless of his opinions on the entire matter of blood purity. Though Lucius hadn't voiced his decisions, Narcissa's stunt at the Battle of Hogwarts had confirmed their wavering alliance. It was his family (if any sane person could call that albatross of a woman and the sorry excuse for a son 'family', let alone decent human beings) that he was tending to wholeheartedly now, trying to protect now from the ridicule of the public. Despite Malfoy's efforts, Rabastan couldn't help but think that it was too late for this type of apology.
And this was why he was donning a Disillusionment Charm, cringing at the sensation.
Careful not to cross anyone else's path, he stealthily moved down the staircase and towards the back door, which was the only way any of the inmates entered and left, lest they actually wanted to increase their chances of being found out. Breathing a sigh of relief at the lack of people in his proximity, he mentally crossed his fingers at the thought of Rodolphus being asleep, regardless of the factor of broad daylight. He would certainly throw a fit if he knew what Rabastan was up to, restraining him by illegal (and completely unbrotherly) means, if he had to.
He slipped out the front door quietly, even stifling the notion of breathing during that potentially dangerous moment. As soon as he set foot outside, he released the breath he was holding and continued to walk at a steady pace, not pausing to take note of any passerby in the secluded area. Instead, he went over his plan repeatedly in his head. The intercepted letter said that they'd spend the afternoon in Diagon Alley, giving me enough time to get the Mudblood when she least expects it. The pathetic blood-traitor is sure to save her, and when he fails, I'll get him too. I'll drag them back to Rodolphus, and we'll either wait for Potter to come crawling to us, or we'll infiltrate and take him away for the last time.
"For the last time," Rabastan murmured to himself, almost soothingly as he blended in with the unkempt foliage. "This is almost over."
Diagon Alley was smothered by a mess of people, all pushing and shoving in their tight-knit groups in an effort to run their errands as quickly as possible. Hermione held onto Ron's forearm tightly, willing herself not to lose him in the swarming crowd, though the gesture was also on behalf of her own desire. And though she was certain that she had voiced her opinion far too many times, Hermione couldn't help but once again be awed by the sheer bliss that had been trailing her around like an obedient terrier ever since she had spontaneously kissed Ron.
Despite these contented feelings, there was still something ominous lurking about. Hermione could sense it quite easily; it seemed as if the most insignificant things were fueling her anxiety. The throng of people circling the High Street seemed highly cautious, choosing not to linger at certain stores for long. She longed to see an elated child press his sooty face against the glass of a store's window, whooping with glee at the sight of a new broomstick model, but even an action as familiar as this was no longer a common occurrence. That tangible ease had not settled itself once more after the War had ended; if anything, it would probably take time for that sense of substantial safety to return.
The tip of the wand protruding from Ron's trousers' pocket had also caused Hermione to muse over their current situation. During their previous, annual visits to Diagon Alley, Ron had never kept his wand at such a close proximity. It was either carelessly tucked into one of the folding pockets of his robes, or twirled in a rough way between his fingers. The way it peeked out from the fabric, practically expectant, made it seem as if Ron had been readying himself for something out of the ordinary all along.
"Hermione?" Ron echoed dubiously, noting her stationary position. "Is something wrong, love? Why aren't you walking?"
She blinked in a hasty manner, noticing his concerned expression. "Sorry," She mumbled, feeling rather foolish. "I was just thinking."
Ron snorted. "When are you not?" He teased, attempting to make light of the situation. "But maybe you should stow that thinking cap away for another day, eh? Unless you actually want to get trampled by this hippogriff of a crowd while buying your Hogwarts supplies."
"Please, Ron," Hermione said with a huff. "You'd have to be positively thick to want that." Gasping theatrically, she placed her free palm over her mouth, her eyes as wide as Galleons. "In that case, we better get you out of here!"
Ron rolled his eyes playfully. "Cheeky and cute," He said softly, nipping at her nose with his thumb.
She sucked in her breath at the mere touch, feeling the restless crowds surrounding them dissolve listlessly as she looked him in the eyes. "I could say the same for you."
He was a little startled by this light banter between them; something of the sort that he was sure to muck up. Every time he unraveled this conversation inside of his head, it never turned out the way he wanted it to, like the loveliest dream becoming a nightmare. In fact, these exchanges usually ended with him blubbering like a complete berk as he 'romantically' compared her determined disposition to that of a garden gnome when it was being hurled in the air while shouting obscenities.
Thankfully, he hadn't mentioned that yet.
"You're amazing," He whispered earnestly, blushing furiously as the compliment slipped.
Before she could respond and before a familiar tinge could color her cheeks, an agonizing scream sounded somewhere nearby. And in that moment, it was the last significant thing Ron said to her.
A/N: In my opinion, at least, Lucius Malfoy would drift away from the remaining Death-Eaters after the war. It just doesn't seem too smart to call those old buddies after the freaking Boy Who Lived saved your sorry arse from Azkaban. :)
Also, infinite kudos to all of those who take the time to read these chapters and leave reviews. You guys are bloody brilliant at motivating a gal :)