Lily shook herself as the sun began to set. Nonthal had yet to disturb her, but she knew it wouldn't be too long before his "parental Instincts" took over and he came in to check on her. Standing she scanned the room thinking hard. There was a good chance Nonthal was standing right out the door to ensure she be left alone, a gesture often appreciated, but today struck her as an annoyance. Sure enough a quick listen at the door confirmed Nonthal was sitting there, talking to, Macnair Lily guessed, it sounded like Macnair anyway. So there was a good chance he'd be occupied for a while. Nonthal didn't look it but he was a talker if you got him going.

Lily drew away from the door and considered her options chewing her bottom lip. There were several ways out of her room, all set up on the nearly impossible chance that the fortress would be breached and Lily would have to be evacuated. The only problem was that they were all probably monitored so no one could come in either.

There were of course the few exits Lily herself had installed as experiments. But they were getting old and that made them unstable which could make getting back into the room undetected difficult. Also they were long term large magic, easily detectable once looked for.

After a few more minutes of indecision Lily began to rummage through various pockets. When she found what she was looking for she set an illation to hopefully fool Nonthal should he come in to check on her. Then she hurried to the door and set some quick spells to give her a warning should Nonthal come in and she set alarms on either end of the hall for more security. Once everything was in place she pulled a quick undetectable spell on her self before selecting the wall she wanted to use for her door. Dipping her finger into the small pot in her hand she traced a square on the stone, just large enough for her to squeeze through. With a murmured series of runes a touch to the middle of the square the stone vanished. Knowing she only had a few seconds she slipped through the new hole. As she landed silently on the stone floor the felt the stone rematerialize.

Lily peered around the corner and sure enough Nonthal was talking with Macnair and by the sound of it they would be there for a while. Satisfied Lily slipped off down the deserted corridor.

Lily knew her way through the halls, better than anyone knew. Most thought she was dependent on Nonthal to get from one place to another, even Nonthal thought that. But unbeknownst to anyone Lily had often slipped out of her room to wander the halls at night. But tonight her vast knowledge of the halls wasn't going to be much help as she was looking for a thing not a place.

She was hoping to find and kill Nagini, or at least send her to Harry.

But after an hour Lily was getting desperate. She hadn't seen a living soul since spotting Nonthal before she left. Lily was about to turn and go back to her room when a sudden noise a head made her pause. After a moment of listening hard she crept noiselessly forward. She peered around the first corner she came to, it was deserted, but the noise persisted. So she continued to pursue it. The next corner reveled her query part way down the corridor.

But as she started down toward the snake Lily thought she felt someone behind her. Shaking the feeling she continued to bear down on the snake until a loud noise made both Lily and Nagini jump and look around. Nagini hissed furiously as she left the corridor, Lily heard her raging about people who couldn't make noise to save their lives. While Lily whole heartedly agreed she didn't dare say a word lest she be discovered. But to her extreme disappointment who ever it was didn't seem to be going anywhere any time soon.

Lily finally decided she couldn't wait any longer and to just go back another way, despite it being unspeakable longer when the figure spoke, "And what are you up to Miss Potter?"

Lily froze, she defiantly knew that voice.

They hadn't spoken much; the work was demanding all their attention so the door opening made all three of them jump. Looking around Harry, Hermione, and Draco all frowned at the sight of Ron in the door, "Mum wanted to bring up sandwiches, but I told her I'd do it. That way she wouldn't run the risk of finding out what we're up to." With that Ron moved further into the room a plate of sandwiches and a flagon of butterbeer floating behind him.

Hermione was the first to speak, "That was nice of her, thank you," she got up, grimacing as her muscles protested having been sitting so long. Ron avoided looking at any of them as she scooped the pitcher from the air, "You can put them here," she said setting the pitcher on the desk.

"So, how's it going?" Ron asked awkwardly gesturing to the piles.

"Fine," Hermione said looking anxiously between the three boys again.

"But another person would speed the process up," Draco murmured returning to his pile. Ron flushed a little but didn't say anything, but a brief glance made Draco smirk.

Harry watched the small interaction frowning slightly, "What Draco means to say," he said with a significant look at Draco, "Is that if you'd like to help you're more than welcome Ron."

Draco shrugged a shoulder, "Something like that," he said not looking up.

Ron shifted his weight from one foot to another. Finally he mumbled, "Sure, but," he said with a glare in Draco's direction, "That doesn't mean I trust him," he shifted slightly, "I'm just following Harry,"

Harry smiled knowingly, grabbed a sandwich and went back to work; Draco barely glanced up; Hermione beamed and launched into a long winded explanation of what they were doing.

Before long they were not only making great progress but the strain in the room gradually evaporated, replaced by mildly comfortable silence and several plates of sandwitches.

"You didn't answer," Lily felt the man take a step closer. She was still invisible if she didn't say anything there would be no problem. Answer would confirm her being there. "I know you're there, but I don't know why, especially seeing all the precautions you put up, that was a good illusion, I'm surprised Nonthal fell for it." Lily swallowed, how'd he figure it out then she thought, "The alarms on the hall and the door helped me of course. Alerted me to look for any," he paused, "peculiarities." Lily's stomach dropped had she gotten so bad that her alarms were detectable. Maybe Harry's lack of subtlety had rubbed off on her. "So why don't you drop your spells and we can talk or rather you can explain to me what you are doing Miss Potter," his voice got distinctly colder with each word. Lily shuddered, appreciating what made him such a good professor, or rather such a hated one. She dropped her spells and blinked as a light flared.

The door was open when Harry glanced up, frowning he looked around. Draco, Ron and Hermione were all pouring their piles of parchment.

"You finally surfaced," A female voice called out. Harry looked around as fast as his neck would move. Draco, Ron and Hermione all looked around confused. "I was beginning to think I could set the room on fire and you still wouldn't look up."

"Don't you know how to knock," Draco sneered.

Ginny, who had been lounging against the wall next to the door, smirked back, "I did and I called but no one answered. So I made sure you were still alive. No one responded to me at all when I started talking either. So I decided to wait."

Draco snorted, "You Weasley's are all the same."

"What does that mean?" Ron flared up.

"It means being so presumptuous is a family trait," Draco said returning to his work.

Before Ron could respond Harry intervened, "Did you need something Ginny?"

"I want to help," she said firmly. At her words Draco looked up to look at Harry, Ron's face darkened, Hermione looked worried, Harry frowned, but didn't say anything for a moment.

"I'm sorry Ginny, but no, I can't let you," he said coolly.

"Why not!" she cried, "You let him," she pointed at Draco.

"I did," Harry said utterly unfazed.

"Why?! It's not fair!" She said standing straighter, "How am I not worthy! Haven't I proven myself over and over!"

"It's not that," Harry cut her off.

"Than what!" She said stamping a foot.

"The fewer people who know the better."

"But," she whispered, "I want to help."

Harry sighed and got up he didn't say anything until he was right in front of her, "You will, but not now," he said softly.

"But Harry," she protested.

"Ginny, not now," he said firmly.

Ginny held his gaze for a moment, tears forming rapidly; she turned on her heel and hurried out of the room. Ron started to get up but Harry waved him down, "I'll take care of it, you keep working," Ron slumped back into his chair as Draco bent over his pile of parchment, apparently bored with them.

"Don't worry Ron," Hermione said a few moments later when Ron continued to look upset, "Harry will calm her down."

"I suppose," he murmured after a while Hermione returned to work leaving Ron to his brooding. At long length Ron too went back to the task at hand.