Chapter 26: Blood of the Covenant

It wasn't with his usual keenness that Harry headed to Dumbledore's office on Sunday evening with Ron and Hermione. News had reached his ears late on Friday night that Erik Ramstad had been killed. There were also rumours about Lucius Malfoy and Hildegard Ramstad being in some sort of trouble. While the student body as a whole preferred the possibility that Hildegard had murdered her husband with Lucius' help (and wouldn't it be extra interesting if Hildegard and Lucius were having an affair?), Harry knew it ran a lot deeper than that.

McGonagall and Snape were already there. McGonagall could've fooled Harry that she had a mouth at all with how thin her lips had gone. Snape didn't look in much a better mood.

"We'll just wait for Vincent and Gregory, then," Dumbledore said to break the silence. They thankfully didn't show up much later than that, looking equally solemn. They also didn't look like what Dumbledore had to tell them was new information. Harry did his best not to zone out at such a wave of bad news, and he felt that between him, Ron, and Hermione, he was the only one that actually managed to pay full attention. Ron ended up staring at the table, his eyes unfocused, while Hermione fended off tears on Ron's other side.

"It'll be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow," Dumbledore finished with. "Not the whole story, just the basics that the public needs to know. Kingsley made the story sound as if it were just a random encounter between his office and Death Eaters. We agreed it wasn't prudent it be known Voldemort was there."

Harry's mind bounced with questions. He settled on the one that probably needed answering most. "How are they?"

"Devastated." Dumbledore sighed. "I think in ways it was expected, at least on Dagmar's part. She didn't seem too affected by the news. It wasn't until she found out this happened in her home that she became upset."

Crabbe cleared his throat. "The weekend was rough. We talked to them. They've basically just been up in the seventh-year boys' dorm."

"Figured we might as well try to say condolences and stuff," Goyle said, surprising Harry with his vocabulary. "We didn't know Mr. Ramstad or anything, but we knew Mr. Malfoy really well. All our families have been wrecked by this now except for Theo's."

"He's not taking it well either," Crabbe added. "Mentioned his dad's wanted out for a while. Never wanted to go in the first place when You-Know-Who came back. Not to get ahead of ourselves or anything, but it might not be a bad idea to try Mr. Nott like you did the Ramstads."

"If he wants out, it is something to consider," Dumbledore replied. "Given how it went with the Ramstads, it will take greater consideration the second time. Wesley may have already heard a conflicting story from Voldemort about what happened, which could complicate things."

"What about getting to him through Theo?" Goyle asked.

"Another possibility." Dumbledore offered him a smile. "The good news is, only Hildegard and Erik were aware of the actual reason why there were Aurors at their home. From Voldemort's perspective, it may just look like the two of them were ambushed and then they called in for reinforcements. As things are, I see no reason why Voldemort would consider Erik's death as anything other than a sacrifice on his behalf. Hildegard and Lucius, like many other Death Eaters, were willing to go to Azkaban for him before they would give up any information."

"I really don't get it," Harry said with a shake of his head. "Sure, it might all make sense from Voldemort's perspective. Why would Erik jump in the way like that, though? You said Kingsley said Erik and Hildegard were on the verge of turning. Why go from that to literally giving his life for Voldemort? Voldemort probably wouldn't have even died."

"I don't know," Dumbledore replied. "It wasn't an accident, according to Kingsley. It was deliberate. I'll be going to Azkaban sometime this week to speak with Hildegard and Lucius. That is definitely something I would like to ask Hildegard."

"What about Mrs. Malfoy?" Hermione asked. "There's really no sign of her?"

"No." Dumbledore folded his hands in his lap. "Kingsley paid a visit to Malfoy Manor. She wasn't there."

"So she ran?" Harry replied.

"Either that or was taken." Dumbledore nodded at Snape. "Severus is going to go to Voldemort over the holidays to see what he can learn."

"What about. . ." Harry leaned over the table on his elbow. "There might be a way to get an answer. What about the Malfoy house elves?"

"Kingsley asked them Narcissa's whereabouts, but they couldn't speak of them."

"They would answer to Malfoy," Harry said. "Wouldn't they consider him a master?"

"Even if they do, that's the easy part," Ron told him. "Good luck getting Malfoy to agree to anything we tell him to do. If he didn't hate us before, he sure does now."

"We've been sitting with them most of the weekend." Crabbe sat with his arms folded. "I don't think either of them hate anyone for it other than You-Know-Who. They didn't talk about nobody else."

"That might have been because you were there," Hermione replied. "You haven't been around them for a while. The dynamic has changed."

Both shrugged, the closest they'd get to admitting she was probably right.

"Guess we'll see if it's permanent," Goyle said.

"It's probably for the best that for now we don't approach them," Dumbledore told them all. "Yes, either Dagmar or Draco might be helpful. Now that their parents' situation has changed so drastically, they might even be willing. That should be their decision, though. We need to respect their grief."

Hiding out for the weekend was feasible but as Monday gradually neared, a whole new dread emerged in Dagmar. They couldn't hide from the rest of the school until the end of June. The sooner Dagmar and Draco faced them all, the better. Theo had made a good point too from experience that sticking to their usual routine would keep them from falling into the dumps. There was enough else to put them there already.

Dagmar cut where she could. She asked Professor Snape to meet with her Sunday morning in the common room so that she could relinquish study hall duties. It hurt to give it up since it had been her baby all year, but she sincerely doubted anyone—aides or students—would show up for the daughter of two Death Eaters.

Daphne and Milly waited for Dagmar to finish getting ready for classes on Monday. Dagmar was pretty sure that if she opened her mouth she might toss. Draco, Blaise, Theo, Luca, Crabbe, and Goyle were waiting for them out in the common room. Dagmar at least felt better with Draco's hand back in hers.

The Slytherins milling around stared. Dagmar got another taste of what was to come when they came up to the main floor from the dungeons. Conversations kept stopping or just moved to whispers. Dagmar refused to look at any of them but she could still see their gazes following her out the corner of her eye.

A nearly eerie silence passed through the Great Hall from where they walked in, reaching the farthest corner of the Gryffindor table before the rabble slowly started up again. Dagmar glanced down at the Slytherin table on her way along it and immediately wished she hadn't. One of her housemates was reading the front page of the Daily Prophet. Her mother's mugshot as well as Mr. Malfoy's and Rodolphus Lestrange's were splashed across it. It never bothered Dagmar how much she looked like her mother, but it came on strong now. At least nobody dared say anything to her or Draco, especially when Draco looked so miserable watching the Great Hall's windows for his mum's usual sweet package. Nothing came.

Dagmar had Draco, Theo, and Daphne as a buffer in Herbology. All of her friends except for Luca were in Charms. She'd sat with Blaise in Arithmancy since her fallout with Hermione. It felt weird not to have to go to study hall afterward, but on the plus side Draco and Luca waited outside the classroom.

Blaise walked with the three of them down to Care of Magical Creatures and then headed back toward the castle with Dagmar. "How're you doing?"

"Better than I thought I would," Dagmar answered. "I think Theo was right about needing to stick to a routine. It sucks to get stared at and talked about all day, but at least no one's talked to me. It's probably more because people are afraid to rather than they're being respectful of what's going on, but whatever." Dagmar shrugged. "I'll take it."

"That's the spirit."

Dagmar laughed. It felt nice to, even if somewhat forced. A too-familiar tightness in her throat quickly materialized afterward.

"I can't believe how good you've all been to us through this," Dagmar said while trying to hold her emotions steady. "It makes me really sad to think about the end of the year when we'll go our separate ways."

"We'll still see each other." Blaise put an arm around Dagmar's shoulders. "Don't worry about it."

"I didn't expect to have any of you except Draco." Dagmar furtively wiped her eyes. "I thought we'd be alone all year and then it would be easy to leave. We'd be eager to leave."

"Are you starting to think you might not?"

"Nei," Dagmar refuted that right away. "I just wish you could all come with us."

"We can't all be busy all the time. There'll be chances to sneak in visits. Holidays, too."

That struck Dagmar particularly hard because the upcoming holidays were already difficult to face. Christmas ended up her last chance to see her parents, and she had blown them off.

"What're you doing for Easter?" Blaise asked.

"Staying here," Dagmar replied. "Draco and I don't really have anywhere else to go. Even our own homes. . .I don't know how I'll ever go back to mine. It's probably crawling with Aurors anyway."

"If you change your mind and end up going somewhere, you could always pop by my place for Easter dinner," Blaise offered. "It'll just be me and Mum."

"It wouldn't be awkward?"

"I don't think so." Blaise shrugged. "Only as awkward as you and I could make it, and I think we're well past that."

Dagmar managed to smile. "If things change, I'll ask Draco what he thinks."

Two weeks to go until the start of holidays gave plenty of time for that in such a turbulent period. An owl arrived for Dagmar Tuesday that she didn't recognize. To her surprise, it had flown in from Oslo:

Dagmar,

It has been many years since I last saw you, but I hope this letter finds you in good health despite the tough time. I'm not sure if you'll even remember me. I'm the uncle that took you and your dad fishing down on Oslofjord when you were seven.

I saw in the papers that your dad passed away last week. That saddens me greatly, especially since I expected he would amount to much more than what he did. I don't mean that in a nasty way. If you understand, you may feel the same. This is certainly something none of us expected because he wasn't like that when he was younger. We have a proud family history of standing up against what your dad ended up dying for.

If you have any interest toward reconnecting, write back to me. I understand you're still in school and that makes visiting difficult but you have family here thinking about you. We all hope you're okay.

Uncle Håkon

Before Dagmar had much chance to do anything other than share it with Draco and cry from being emotionally touched, another one came the next morning from Fru Dyrdahl:

Dagmar,

I saw the news. I am so sorry to hear about your mother and father. I hope you're doing all right.

Would you happen to have any plans over Easter? I understand if it is too soon to ask, but you are always welcome to come here if you need to get away for a little while.

If there is anything you need from me or Filip, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. I'm unsure what sort of things you'll have to deal with in regards to your family's estate but if you need any help navigating it I can be there with you.

Janne

Her offer was a bit too overwhelming to start for Dagmar, but she started to think more heavily on the last paragraph as yet another owl arrived on Thursday:

Ms. Ramstad,

I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to begin by saying how terribly I feel for your loss.

You may remember me as we met once when I was visiting your home. My name is Enid Keene and I act as advocate for your parents' estate. Several things have changed with it due to your father's passing. Seeing as the Easter holidays are arriving, it might be the best time to meet. I don't think it should wait until the end of your year at Hogwarts, although I understand if this is too short of notice. I was able to execute some portions of your father's will due to time constraints such as his wish to be cremated, but I am uncomfortable going much further without your involvement. In the meantime I will continue to maintain the accounts.

Please advise me either way.

Enid Keene

Tellery's Advocate Office, Diagon Alley, London

Draco received a similar one from a Mr. Clayton at the same office. He fell quiet after he and Dagmar swapped them to read.

"I don't know what it means to get this letter," he said. "Maybe things changed with my father going away, but what about my mum? She's not—you know."

Dagmar rubbed his back. "Maybe Mr. Clayton knows something."

She regretted the rekindling of hope in Draco's eyes. While Dagmar too wished with every fibre in her body that Narcissa was okay, she didn't want to be that much more let down if things didn't end up good. It was both a relief and unsettling that no word of her had arrived now that a week passed since her disappearance. If Voldemort planned to use her against Draco, he would have most likely acted fast to get to him before Dumbledore could. No word of Narcissa could mean literally anything else.

"Do you think we ought to go home for the holidays, then?" Draco hesitantly asked.

"I think we pretty much have to. I didn't even think about my dad's body." Dagmar pressed her lips together. "Where could we stay?"

"I don't know."

Dagmar thought about Blaise's offer regarding the holidays, but he hadn't meant it as that Dagmar and Draco could stay at his mum's for the entire two weeks. Even if Mrs. Zabini and Blaise were okay with it, Dagmar could never ask it of them nor would she accept if either suggested it. There was always the Leaky Cauldron, but Dagmar had little desire to spend two weeks in such a public space.

"We could ask Dumbledore," Dagmar suggested. "I mean, I think he'd understand it's important for us to go home and deal with this stuff. He might know of a place."

"It might be easier to ask Professor Snape," Draco replied. "He's just a bit more accessible."

Dagmar agreed, so Draco met her that afternoon when History of Magic let out and they headed together down to his office.

"Come in," Snape bid them when Draco knocked on the open door. "What did you need?"

"I think we have to take our names off the list to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays," Dagmar said. "Both of us got letters today from our parents' advocates. Apparently we have to go deal with some stuff about our families' estates."

"Very well." Snape opened one of his desk drawers and pulled out the piece of parchment Dagmar had signed a few weeks ago.

Dagmar exchanged a quick glance with Draco. "We're not really sure where to go. I mean. . .I don't really want to go back to my manor if I can help it. The Aurors are still investigating anyway, aren't they?"

Thinking, Snape slowed as he unstopped an inkwell. "I do not think the search was as extensive at Malfoy Manor beyond attempting to locate Narcissa. That it is currently under watch and protection from the Ministry may actually work in your favour for safety purposes. So long as you wouldn't mind sharing the property with members from the Auror department, Dumbledore might be able to pull some strings on your behalf."

"The Ministry would trust us?" Draco asked. "They don't look at us like we were in with our parents?"

"Let's just say the Auror department is. . .closer to Dumbledore than the Minister," Snape chose his words carefully.

Dagmar breathed a little easier with that. She couldn't deny she had been a little nervous to potentially leave Dumbledore's umbrella of influence. That it may have expanded to cover Malfoy Manor was a great relief.

"Could you let us know then what Dumbledore says?" Draco asked. "If we can't go to my place we don't really have anywhere else. We'd have to make different arrangements."

"May I make a suggestion if you're ultimately able to return to Malfoy Manor?"

"Er, sure." Draco nodded jerkily.

"Your house elves were asked about your mother's whereabouts, but their magical restrictions made it impossible for them to answer. They would tell you what they know, if anything."

"I didn't think of that." Draco looked at Dagmar. "Okay, I will."

"I needn't remind you it's your decision what to do with that information," Snape replied. "If something meaningful comes of it that is beyond your resources to look into, those might also be arrangeable should you choose."

"Okay."

They left with that. Normally after all the suggestions this year—all the solicitations—Dagmar would've been severely annoyed to once again be approached. She couldn't deny now it felt good to know that somebody was keeping an eye out for them.

Draco looked in deep thought as well as he tackled the latest Transfiguration assignment in the library. As much as Dagmar wanted to encourage him to concentrate since neither of them had done well for it in the last week, she ripped off a piece of parchment to write him a note: We don't really have anyone left to protect now, do we?

Lips pressed, Draco studied the note at length before dashing off a quick response: No.

Obviously I'm not saying we should do anything, but if they could help with your mum I would swallow my pride.

Yeah.

Dagmar left it at that. She didn't want to push Draco like everyone else had, and she wasn't even sure if she wanted it for herself. Dagmar and Draco had done well staying out of everything thus far. How long was it really feasible, though? Maybe if Narcissa hadn't vanished it would seem less tempting.

Still, Dagmar was heartened by Professor Snape's suggestion to talk to the house elves. If Narcissa had left any kind of message for Draco that she didn't want anyone but him to receive, that would be the way to do it. Dagmar hoped that Dumbledore would be able to arrange for them to go to Malfoy Manor.

There was plenty else to think about in the meantime. Classes winding down for NEWT students ended up meaning they ramped up on homework to ensure everything was covered in time for review. Dagmar doubted it was unintentional that every professor have something due on the last block for each class before holidays, and they probably all intended to assign something over them as well.

Dagmar sent an owl off to her uncle Håkon, which ended up being the hardest one to write just because she wasn't very familiar with him. With everything else Dagmar had to do over the Easter holidays, she doubted she would have either the time or energy to make a special trip out to Oslo. She told Uncle Håkon that she and her boyfriend had plans to move to Norway at the end of June provided their employment inquiries panned out, and that she would love to see everyone again sometime around then if that was all right.

A note came from Professor Snape before dinner on Friday that Dagmar and Draco would be able to go to Malfoy Manor for the Easter holidays. While a relief it also came with nerves. Dagmar didn't feel quite as resistant to returning there as her own manor considering that was where her father had died, but it still came with its own baggage. They hadn't left it on good terms back in August and Dagmar feared going back would really bring his mother's disappearance home for Draco. He seemed to be of the same mind as he and Dagmar headed to the owlery Saturday morning with their responses to their parents' advocates.

Dagmar squeezed his hand. "All right?"

Draco shrugged. "Nervous, I guess. I'm terrified what the house elves might have to say."

"Me too." Maybe agreeing didn't help Draco feel any better, but Dagmar would rather validate his feelings than dismiss them. "Passive as we've been about everything to do with our parents this year, I myself won't be if they can give us any kind of lead."

"I've been thinking about that," Draco replied. "If there's something I can do, I want to look for her. Snape said Dumbledore might have resources. I'd be curious to know what they are."

"We'll talk to the house elves and go from there," Dagmar said. "We should know probably not long after Easter where we stand with Olaf Kyrre and Jotunheimen."

"I haven't even had much of a chance to think about that in all this."

Dagmar studied him. "Are you thinking it might not happen now?"

"Oh—no, that's not what I meant. Our cut from Britain might not be as clean as we hoped, is all."

Dagmar nodded. She certainly didn't want to derail what they'd worked so long and hard for, but she understood that with everything thrown up in the air right now concessions might have to be made.

"You can be honest if you're not sure," Dagmar told him as they reached the owlery. Ulysses flew down right away to see Draco, as did Mímir to Dagmar. She stroked his head mindlessly. "If it was a matter of life and death for your mum, there's no choice to make there."

Draco pressed his lips together while he thought. "Thing is, we still don't even know if Norway is a sure thing because we haven't gotten job offers. We've been planning everything around it so it's easy to feel like we have something we might have to give up if things keep changing. The only thing I do know is that I won't go separate ways from you no matter what, if that's something you're worried about."

"I'm not so worried about that since I think our priorities line up. I mean. . .your mum's the only thing close to a parent I have left."

"Are you worried we might have to give up Norway, though?" Draco asked. "It's okay if you are. It's all we've been aiming for for nearly a year. We didn't expect anything should get in our way that we couldn't control or work for."

Dagmar shrugged. "Our credentials aren't going anywhere, and it's not like the fields change all that much with time. If we can get there eventually I'd be okay with that. Jobs come and go, people don't. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to your mum. I don't think you'd forgive me either."

"I don't want to hold you back."

"You're not," Dagmar reassured him. "Getting on as a Healer isn't a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's just a job. Norway is just a place. I'm open to it not being in our immediate future and I won't hold it against you if we end up not going right away."

"Let's just see how things go." Draco scratched Ulysses' head one more time before grabbing some string to attach his letter to Mr. Clayton. "There are way too many things up in the air for us to plan any which way at the moment. It does relieve me that you're open to different avenues. I don't want to lose you too somehow."

Dagmar sent Mímir off with her reply to Fru Dyrdahl and had beckoned a school owl over for the trip to Mrs. Keene in London. She attached it quickly so that she could return her focus to Draco. He was gazing at the floor, his mouth working, and he looked so tired all of a sudden.

"We already made this promise to each other," Dagmar said as she rubbed his forearm. "As soon as we both agreed to go forward with the arrangements our parents made, we've been committed. Maybe the arrangement doesn't really matter anymore. We left our parents at the end of summer and you could argue that from then on we were only doing things for ourselves. It's never changed anything for me, though. You'll be my husband someday. We've been tested before. We'll get through this too."

Draco's expression softened and although he hadn't been shy before when they were alone to let his emotions boil up, he still fought it in such a public area of the castle.

"Okay," he managed.

Dagmar turned him more to face her by a gentle hand on his cheek. Tension seemed to deflate from his body like air from a balloon as she took his lips with hers. It had a similar effect on Dagmar, grounding her in some form of certainty. She could give up anything else for a while, but she could never give up Draco. Dagmar trusted him enough to know that if she did have to forego something she'd wanted, Draco would do everything in his power to make sure she got it eventually. This wasn't just her life anymore, it was theirs. There would be sacrifices, but the victories could be shared.

Footsteps trailed into the owlery. Dagmar and Draco weren't quick enough separating to avoid hearing a soft, embarrassed, "Oh."

Dagmar's stomach dropped a little to see Hermione standing there. She and Draco gravitated apart. "Er. . .hei."

"Sorry," Hermione said. "I saw you heading this way with letters. I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Did you want something?"

"Well, I was hoping to talk to you." Hermione cast a hesitant glance in Draco's direction, which Dagmar understood.

She touched his arm again and switched back briefly to Norwegian. "I'll catch up to you."

"Upstairs?"

Dagmar smiled. "Sure."

With a nod, he headed for the exit. Hermione moved to the side to give him more than enough space to pass. Dagmar's nerves bubbled up to be without some kind of buffer.

Hermione gravitated closer, just as awkward. She seemed more interested in the owls than what she'd actually come for.

"You're probably sick of hearing this by now, but I'm sorry about your dad," she said. "And your mum. It's awful about both of them."

Dagmar nodded, suddenly fascinated by a loose thread on her shirt hem. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed to be exposed as someone that had previously protected Death Eaters, regardless of motivation.

"Snape said you know about the meetings that go on, so I want to tell you Dumbledore told us not to approach you and Malfoy right now about anything to do with that," Hermione told her. "Er—just full disclosure. I didn't want to talk to you as a member of the Order, though. I want to talk to you as your friend. I miss you."

Dagmar's vision blurred with little warning, as it was wont to do these days. She held it in her throat and pushed it back with a swallow.

"I miss you too, and I'm so sorry." Dagmar tried to suppress a tremble in her voice, but failed. "I don't really know what to say other than that. I'm sorry."

"I don't think you have anything to apologize for," Hermione said. "You were in an impossible position that you never chose. I could've been more sensitive about it. I'm the one that should be sorry."

"I was so ashamed." Dagmar wiped the corner of her eye. "I never wanted it. I knew what the outcome would be for them, either death or Azkaban. I appreciate that you tried to offer them something else."

Hermione rubbed her back. "I wish it had gone way differently."

"Me too. I don't know why they couldn't just. . ."

Even though Hermione came to Dagmar as a friend rather than on Potter or Dumbledore's behalf, given the circumstances it was practically impossible they not discuss the situation at hand. Dagmar's interest in it was malleable, especially now with Narcissa as new motivation. Dagmar just didn't know how much she could say without Draco there. She didn't want to speak for him when it came to his mum.

"If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here," Hermione said. "I won't ask you any questions. I think we've all bothered you enough this year. I agree with Dumbledore that your grief needs to be respected. It needs time."

"That's kind of you," Dagmar replied. "We still don't know why things went the way they did, which is more frustrating than ever. Now with Narcissa gone, I don't know what we're going to do. Snape suggested asking the Malfoy house elves, so I guess that's the best place to start."

"We want to find her too." Hermione lowered her voice with a glance back at the owlery entrance. "It's not conditional on you and Malfoy doing anything, or joining us, or whatever. Mrs. Malfoy wasn't like Lucius, according to Snape. She wasn't a Death Eater."

"Nei," Dagmar confirmed with a sniffle. "She—well, I know she had her faults, but I got on really well with her. She means the world to Draco too so it's been really hard watching him miss her."

"I bet."

Dagmar pressed her lips together. "There's a lot that's uncertain right now. Draco and I are trying to figure out if all this happening means we'll even be going to Norway. Time will tell, I guess. It depends on his mum. We might not even get the jobs we wanted. It feels pointless to plan anything, even if we've worked our arses off for it."

Hermione nodded.

"We might be in touch after Easter," Dagmar said. "Things should be more certain after that."

"Whatever works best for you."

Dagmar appreciated that Hermione didn't push it, even if it was clear she burst at the brim. When they went their separate ways, Dagmar felt a little better.

Draco looked at her with eyebrows raised from curiosity when he let her into the Room of Requirement. "What was that about?"

"She just wanted to check on me," Dagmar replied. "She said she was sorry about the last time we spoke."

"That's it?"

"She wanted to ask more, I could tell," Dagmar said. "She held back."

"Impressive."

Dagmar snorted. For at least now, she could appreciate what few things were set in some form of place. It felt good to be back on speaking terms with Hermione. In a week when they made it back to Malfoy Manor, she and Draco might have some answers. They would then have the entire holiday to decide where to go from there.

"I told her we might be in touch." Dagmar took Draco's hands loosely in hers. "She said they're all looking for your mum too. We won't be alone on it."

"That's nice to know." It did seem to cool Draco's perennial state of tension. "I wonder why."

"Probably for the same reasons they were trying to talk to mine," Dagmar said. "Your mum might have helpful information that could get Potter and Dumbledore close to Voldemort. Then we could all be free."