Chapter Eighty-Two

"What did he expect? That we would just send Harry to die – cross our fingers and hope for the best?"

Lily had come back to the house in a more enraged state than by which she had left – almost waking Grace with the slamming of the door on her return – and had quickly set about telling Severus – in a fit of fury – what had transpired between them.

What Dumbledore had revealed during the exchange.

Severus sat at the table, frowningly - while Lily continued to pace the kitchen floor behind him – as he tried to make sense of this new information. This new information which – if true – meant that Harry still had a chance.

This information which meant that Dumbledore had never truly intended for Harry to die.

"Well. I won't have it," Lily went on, entirely livid, oblivious to Severus' thoughts, "Harry's coming home."

Severus shook his head, "He is safer at Hogwarts."

"Safer at Hogwarts, with Albus Dumbledore whispering in his ear?" Lily snapped, "Albus already said it, that he's better than all of us – that Harry would choose to –"

"So, he would," Severus conceded the fact, "Harry would, if the choice were left up to him, therefore removing him from his current place of safety – where he continues to be able to live as normal a life as he possible can – is ineffective. He has his extra defence classes, our legillimency lessons – Dumbledore will not reveal anything of it to him. As you have pointed out, he cannot, or the magic will not work."

Lily rounded on him then, "Won't work? Are you telling me you actually believe this?"

Severus pursed his lips, glancing away, as he gave voice to it.

The slightest hope.

"The Old Magic that Black evoked is an ancient form of magic unseen for centuries –"

"Don't!"

Severus met her eyes.

"Lily, Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards who has ever lived – who's knowledge and experience far outstrips ours – if he believes that there is a chance –"

"Severus," Lily said, warningly, her eyes flashing with a fury she would quite willingly turn upon him.

Severus got to his feet and came towards her, a hand on her arm, trying to reason with her.

"This is Harry's life, Lily. If there is a chance – any chance – then we owe it to him to, at least, investigate the possibility –"

"The possibility," Lily interrupted him, jaw flexing as she glowered at the suggestion, "Dumbledore's great plan is to send our son to willingly walk to his death – over my dead body, Severus!"

"And mine. If –"

"There is no 'if' about it, Severus, we are not doing it!"

Lily stepped by him.

"He's trying to fool us into believing his words because he knows, once we've sent Harry to Voldemort – when it doesn't work – it'd be too late for either of us to do anything about it. He will have gotten exactly what he wanted. He is lying, playing on our hopes that he could survive, to make us do as he wills."

"No."

Lily spun back round to face him, at his quiet assertion.

"He wouldn't do that."

Lily shook her head, as if unable to believe her ears, and Severus went on.

"If that had been Albus' intention, why would he have not revealed it to me prior to now? He and I have already discussed this matter extensively and he was adamant – without revealing the full truth to me – that the Dark Lord, himself, must wield the magic that would end the horcrux. And this was why."

Lily pursed her lips together, stubbornly refusing to give an inch.

"While there is much that can be laid at the Headmaster's feet; he does not lie."

"No, you simply have never caught him in one," Lily said, as she lifted her chin, "This is the same man who, for years, has fed selected information to Voldemort in order to secure the place of his spies – knowingly putting the lives of Order members at risk –"

Severus closed his eyes, as she spoke of information that she should be entirely unaware of.

" – the same man who ordered you to allow Regulus to die at the beginning of this year to maintain your cover. And goodness knows what else - those are only the things you've let slip! The same man whose entire life's mission is to see the end of this war! Who has played this as if it were a game – made choices – great burdens, as you once called them – regarding who gets to live and who gets to die. And now, at the very height of it, you think his manipulations would not extend to Harry? Why? Harry who, Albus knows, holds a piece of Voldemort's own soul within himself? Who – so long as he lives – binds Voldemort to life and the rest of the world to an everlasting war."

Severus drew in a breath, glancing away, knowing that, no, it wasn't entirely outwith the realm of possibility that Dumbledore was deceiving them.

But also knowing it wasn't entirely outwith the realm of possibility that he wasn't.

Severus met Lily's eyes, knowing – either way – that it was not a risk Lily would be willing to take.

The life of their son.

And, so, he stepped forward, taking her hands in his and pressing his lips to her forehead, speaking the words Regulus had said some weeks before.

"We'll find another way."

Severus felt Lily's hands curl into his robes, leaning into him, allowing the comfort he sought to give to her and he simply held her there for a moment, before going on.

"I have related the details of it to Regulus –"

Lily lifted her head, meeting his eyes with a frown.

" – he is using all of his knowledge regarding the horcruxes he has hunted thus far to attempt to figure out a solution to this issue. He believes you are already aware of a great deal of what he knows, yourself."

Lily nodded, immediately, "Yes. I – I know some of it. Not as extensively as Regulus, of course, but…does he believe there's a chance?"

Severus nodded.

"Yes."

Lily nodded, in turn, slowly, as she pondered the words, before she met Severus' eyes, speaking with determination.

"Then we'll find it."


Harry blew teasingly into Daphne's ear and she laughed, shrugging him off.

"Um – you're supposed to be teaching me, here, Potter."

"Hm –" Harry made a show of thinking about it, resting his chin on Daphne's shoulder, "- I think it's way better when you teach me stuff, Greengrass."

Daphne tittered, before she turned her attention straight ahead and spoke the incantation.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A silver light burst forth – as it always did, now, when she cast it – but, this time, it quickly took form and a silvery owl appeared for the first time, soaring high up into the air, before it vanished from sight.

The two of them stared at the spot where it had been, stunned for a moment, and then Daphne let out a squeal and turned and flung her arms around him.

Harry laughed along with her, hugging her tight, "See. I was teaching you something."

Daphne drew back – her arms still around him – and rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling when she said, "Oh, you take all the credit for that, do you?"

"That's right," Harry grinned, nudging her nose with his, "I was just making sure you felt really, really good, so the spell would actually work."

Daphne chuckled, brushing her nose back against his more slowly, and then she pressed her lips to his – kissing him deeply – seeming to decide his punishment for teasing was to make him feel really good. Or, rather, extremely hot and bothered, by the time she stepped out of his arms with a flushed face of her own and a cheeky little grin.

"Come on, better head down for breakfast."

"Could just get something at Hogsmeade," Harry suggested.

There had been an announcement that morning that the date had been pulled forward a week, taking all the students by surprise and cutting this intended private date short.

Harry would much rather just carry on with the date and skip the trip. Especially now that Malachi had insisted it be a group thing and had taken it upon himself to invite Hermione and Ron to tag along with them, too.

But Daphne took no heed of his suggestion – tugging on his hand with a smile – and the two of them headed from the Astronomy Tower back down to the Great Hall.

The headed in, the Hall abuzz with the excitement of the upcoming trip beyond the Castle, and Harry noticed Malachi up ahead, talking to Luna by the edge of the Ravenclaw table.

"I'll get you in the lobby," Daphne told him, ignoring the stares they'd immediately drawn when they'd walked into the hall, hand-in-hand, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Told Pansy and Tracey I'd eat with 'em."

"'kay," Harry nodded, smiling at her, as she left and he headed on over to where Malachi was standing.

"I do think it might be useful," Luna was saying, in her odd dreamy voice, as Harry reached them, "I suppose the more who are aware of the magic You-Know-Who uses, the stronger the resistance against him will become."

"Alright," Harry said, as Malachi nodded at him.

Luna gave him a smile, saying a brief hello, before she stepped away, leaving the two of them and making her way to sit at the Ravenclaw Table.

Malachi's eyes followed her – obviously wishing their conversation could continue – and Harry snickered, giving him a shove, "Should've just asked her."

Malachi rolled his eyes and, instead of heading to the Slytherin table, made his way in the direction of the Gryffindor one as Harry followed.

"I mean, she's a bit weird, I guess –" Harry went on, " – but she's nice –"

"How is she weird?"

Harry fought a laugh, "Sorry. Just meant she's not like other girls."

"Maybe it's the other girls that are the weird ones," Malachi said, taking a seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Or maybe it's you," Harry remarked, sitting down next to him, "For agreeing to go to Hogsmeade with a girl you don't even like."

Malachi rolled his eyes, "I've never spoken to Maloney before. She might be nice. Besides, we're just talking about my articles, that's all. It's not like it's a date."

"Um. It is a date – Maloney's been telling people – and you already like Luna," Harry pointed out.

When Malachi didn't respond, Harry looked at him, noticing Malachi's eyes were on the two aurors at the door – the two who had each been assigned to himself and to Malachi, respectively, for the outing – and Harry got a frown – a wave of realization coming over him – before he glanced back at Malachi who was now eating the breakfast he'd chosen.

"Is this about Emma?"

Malachi hesitated in reaching for his drink – just for a second – but then he carried on, not even acknowledging that Harry had spoken.

Before Harry could press further – his suspicion that Malachi just didn't want to be seen with Luna outside the safety of Hogwarts – Ron and Hermione appeared, taking seats on either side of Harry.

"You guys ready to go?" Ron asked, "Where's Greengrass and Maloney?"

"Getting them in the lobby," Harry told him, taking a bite of the pastry he picked up.

"Are they here for you, Harry?" Hermione asked, eyes on the aurors, and Harry just nodded, casting a brief glance Malachi's way.

"Heard they were thinking about cancelling the whole thing," Ron said, tucking into a second round of breakfast when he realized Harry and Malachi were only just starting – earning a roll of the eyes from Hermione – and added around a mouthful of pastry, "Diagon Alley's deserted these days, mum was saying in her letter yesterday. People just in and out, quick as they can."

"They've increased the security around Hogsmeade for the day – this last minute change of date is all part of the measures to ensure the trip is as safe as possible," Hermione told them and Harry nodded, knowing that to be the case.

A voice called out from the front of the hall, then – Professor McGonagall's – telling all the students who wished to attend today's visit to Hogsmeade to please gather in the lobby.

They quickly scoffed the rest of their breakfast and made their way with the other students – not all of them in the Hall seeming inclined to go, Harry noticed – to leave for the trip.


Regulus tapped the end of his wand against the small box he held – "Reparo" – and then wound the handle on the side by hand.

The tune that played as he did was a familiar one from his own childhood, the tempo increasing until the lid flew open and the stuffed bunny within burst free with a 'pop' in time to the music.

Regulus grinned.

Delighted with the children's toy he'd found in the box the Ministry had sent his way once Sirius had died – he remembered it had been in there, the treasured item from his uncle that he and his brother had fought over so often as toddlers – just as the adjourning door between his and Severus' office opened and Severus walked into the room.

Regulus lifted his eyebrows in greeting, putting the Bunny-in-the-Box aside.

Severus eyed it, "Preoccupied?"

Regulus chuckled, shrugging and giving the bunny he'd repaired for the new baby a pat on the head, before he leaned over and lifted the scrolls that he'd gathered up earlier that week and handed them over.

"Remorse, it seems, is a known manner by which a torn apart soul may be repaired. But the remorse required, itself, can be overwhelming enough to end a life. Doubt Voldemort would be to keen."

The name – the real name – still felt foreign on his tongue.

Severus gave a nod of thanks, tucking the scrolls into his robes, before his friend went on, briskly.

"The magic your brother evoked the night the Dark Lord killed him –"

Regulus glanced away at the abrupt turn of subject – one he had absolutely no wish to relive – and straightened up in his chair.

" – is this a form that any of your sources are familiar with?"

"Old Magic? Not that I'm aware of. The branch is so ancient that most knowledge of it – all incidents, even – have been almost entirely forgotten. What happened between Sirius and Harry is still debated to this day, whether or not that's even what happened."

"Well. You and I both know that it was," Severus said, dismissive of any claims otherwise, and went on, "I need to know more of it."

"Well, you'd be better of going to Dumbledore. He's the one who figured it out, initially –"

"It is a claim of Dumbledore's I wish to investigate. Can you do it?"

Regulus frowned, "Shouldn't we be directing all of our energy upon finding a solution to the horcrux issue, first and foremost?"

"In doing this we just might be."

Regulus' eyebrows lifted.

"How so?"

"Call it a hunch," Severus said, rolling his eyes, "Will you look into it?"

Regulus kept his eyes on him for a moment – knowing there was surely more to it than what Severus was telling him – but, knowing better than to ask, simply gave a nod.

"I'll put the net out. See what people know."

Severus gave him a nod of thanks, before heading from the room.


"Blimey, you'd think people had never seen a couple before," Ron remarked from where he stood up ahead at Harry's side, as the six of them made their way through the village.

The pairing of Harry and Daphne had been drawing the eyes of their fellow students even out here.

Malachi wasn't sure which of the two of them was the more foolish one.

Himself, for not asking Luna to come with him, or Harry, for so visibly flaunting how much he cared about Daphne – out in the open – for anyone to see.

But then, their circumstances weren't exactly the same.

Voldemort wanted to kill Harry.

After what happened at the wedding, Malachi knew that wasn't the same for his dad.

Not anymore.

Somehow, it had become a game. Which of the two could hurt the other the most. And Malachi knew, without doubt, that hurting him was the quickest, easiest way to get to his dad and the way Voldemort had been playing it so far.

But he knew his dad was playing the game pretty well right now, too – Malachi's own articles getting Voldemort right where it hurt – so asking Luna to come here with him would have been stupid.

After Emma.

Malachi tried not to think about Emma, eyes glancing to the side at Maloney, uneasily, having realized earlier that day that it probably wasn't a good idea to have come here with a date at all.

He may not fancy Maloney but if they were spotted by Death Eaters together, they weren't to know that. For all they knew, she could be someone special – someone worthy of killing – and the thought made him take a step to the left, where Hermione stood on his other side.

Not that standing close to Hermione was much better.

Harry let go of Daphne's hand abruptly and slipped his arm around her waist, pressing his lips to hers, defiantly, as they carried on walking, when he noticed some of the older students – Gryffindors – eyeing the pair of them, disapprovingly.

"Let's try and keep our behaviour appropriate on this occasion, shall we, Mr. Potter?" Professor McGonagall's voice sounded to the side of them as she passed by, swiftly, making Harry and Daphne hastily end their lip lock.

Malachi snickered, sharing an amused look Ron.

It was odd, how Ron – who had, previously, seemed to hate Malachi simply for being sorted into Slytherin – had now began to speak to him again, after if he hadn't already known and been friends with him before he'd come to Hogwarts.

Not that Malachi was complaining. In fact, he'd much rather be up front with Ron, right now, than where he was flanked by two girls, hoping no one noticed them.

He wished – childishly – that he could talk to his dad about this.

His dad had told him that summer, when he'd questioned him, that Julia knew her own mind – that he would marry her, put her happiness first, even above her safety, because that's what she wanted – and that she was capable of making her own choices and taking her own risks.

Because life wasn't worth living without a little bit of risk.

He wasn't entirely sure where his dad had learned that – if it was something recent – because he certainly had never been encouraging of Malachi taking any risks in the past.

Malachi wondered if his dad would say the same to him, now, if he told him there was another girl he liked. He wondered if it was actually too soon for him to like someone else.

His dad had waited years between his mum and Julia.

"You enjoyed Malachi's articles as well, didn't you?" Hermione remarked, drawing him from his thoughts as she leaned forward to speak around him to Maloney.

Maloney glanced at her, impatiently, obviously not happy with her – with all of them, in fact – being there, "Yes."

Malachi knew this wasn't what she'd had in mind but, still, it was far safer for her this way. Three boys and three girls.

"They were really very inspiring," Hermione said, giving Malachi a smile – a warmer one than she'd ever given him before, now that the truth of how he felt about muggles had been revealed to everyone – and she added, "Ron and I, we attended some of the marches. They were peaceful, of course. You managed to reach a lot of people –"

Malachi gave Hermione a small smile, blushing a little, and just shrugged.

" – didn't he, Ron?"

Ron glanced over his shoulder at them, "Oh. Yeah. My dad liked reading it, he's the one who pointed it out to us, right, Hermione? He's into all that stuff, muggle life and everything."

"Yeah?"

Malachi wondered if that was a good enough excuse to go and join Ron and Harry up ahead, and stay away from the girls entirely – minus Daphne, who was quite obviously not his to anyone who might be watching but Hermione went on, drawing his attention back to her.

"You should think about joining the One World Club at school," Hermione glanced at Maloney, "You're part of that club, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Hermione eyed her at the obvious shortness by which Maloney responded and, when the latter made no move to expand her answer, Hermione turned her attention back to him.

"Have you spent much time with muggles, Malachi?"

Malachi bit his bottom lip, eyes lowering, and Hermione quickly covered her mouth.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry!"

Malachi shook his head, "It's fine."

Hermione shot him an apologetic look, looking mortified, "I just meant –"

"I know," Malachi quickly interrupted her, before it could get even more awkward, "My dad and me, we spent the summer with muggles, mostly. We travelled about and did some festivals."

Hermione's eyes lit up, "Festivals? The music ones? My parents would never have allowed that."

Malachi grinned and shrugged, "My dad isn't all that strict. He hated the music festival we went to, though. We did some other ones. Some car shows and there were book festivals –"

"Book festivals?" Daphne looked over her shoulder at him, the activity actually managing to make her and Harry tear their eyes from one another for a second.

Malachi nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm, before Daphne turned back to Harry, "You'll be taking me to one of those, Potter."

"Oh, Ron, come with me into Honeydukes, would you?"

Hermione and Ron broke off from the group, agreeing to meet them in the Three Broomsticks, leaving the remaining four quite obviously coupled up.

Malachi shifted, uncomfortably, at finding himself alone with Maloney but it was a feeling that obviously wasn't shared, his date quickly perking up when Hermione left.

"So," Maloney said, quietly, addressing him a little nervously, "What – um – what inspired you to think the way you do about muggles? It surely wasn't your father."

Malachi frowned, glancing at her, unable to help but be immediately offended at her assumptions about his dad.

"Um. A girl," he shrugged, figuring he'd rather talk about Emma than his dad's dabbling as a teenager in Statute opposition – among other things – that had originally got Malachi thinking.

"Oh," Maloney nodded, sympathetically, "I heard about that. Was she you girlfriend?"

"Not really," Malachi said, quietly, "Just…she was just a muggle."

She was not just a muggle, his dad's voice immediately sounded in his ear, as it had the first time Malachi had said it, unable to think of any words that could truly describe her.

An awkward silence seemed to fall upon them, then, with Malachi at a loss as to what to say.

"Um…if you're muggleborn you must have spent a lot of time with them – muggles – too."

Maloney smiled and nodded, relaxing a little, "Yeah. I have two sisters, neither of them are witches, so – when I'm home, magic is pretty much an off-limits topic of conversation."

Malachi frowned again, looking at her, "That's not very fair."

"Well. My parents think it's not fair that my sisters are excluded from my world," she told him, giving a shrug, "And, since I'm able to fit into theirs alright and just hide it – the magic – without all the laws over there we have to put up with here, that I should just …"

Malachi suddenly felt bad for her – really bad – and shook his head, "I'm sorry."

Maloney smiled.

"You're sorry? You're one of the only people who's fighting for people like me."

Malachi got a small smile, relaxing now, "Well. Not anymore."

"Here, give me your scarf," Harry suddenly said, more loudly – sounding annoyed – as he pulled his own red and gold one off from around his neck.

"My scarf?" Daphne sounded bewildered.

"Yeah. Wear mine."

Daphne turned to look at Harry, raising an eyebrow, all of them stopping in their steps, "You want us to wear one another's scarves?"

"Yeah. It's be – like a statement or something."

"A statement," Daphne repeated, getting a slow smile.

"Come on. You love that kind of stuff."

"And since when are you political, Potter?"

"What can I say," Harry grinned, "I guess I'd just do anything for you."

Malachi made a heaving sound behind them – making the girls laugh, as Harry shot him a look – before Daphne did as he asked with a giggle and pulled off her Slytherin scarf, handing it over.

Harry immediately wound it around his own neck.

He shook out his own, wrapping it around Daphne's with far more care, and used the ends to tug her forward, giving her a kiss.

Harry drew back, casting a look Malachi's way and touched the green and silver scarf around his own neck, proudly, "What d'you think? Does it suit me?"

Malachi scoffed, shaking his head, "Nah."

They all laughed again, Harry flinging an arm around Daphne's shoulders, as they carried on, making their way into the Three Broomsticks.


Following Julia's collection of Grace that morning for a promised girly day with her godmother, Lily had spent the entire morning tossing aside parchment after parchment, trying to find something – anything – that might give her an indication of where Regulus' hopeful attitude arose from, that he thought it were possible that they could possibly do something to save Harry.

It was just one dead end after another.

Eventually, just after lunch time, Lily had finally gone to the Foundation – to Regulus' office – herself, once her own notes had run dry and asked him for something more to look into, and he'd handed her more parchments – with a look so compassionate that she could have broken down there and then – parchments that he had already read but wasn't entirely sure were worthless yet.

They were worthless, Lily quickly managed to confirm, when she'd quickly sat down to read them once she'd gotten home.

Yet more dead ends and she could feel herself become more and more panicked – the initial fury at what had been revealed to her leaving her – until it was, eventually, replaced by a feeling of hopelessness.

Of grief that she could barely withstand.

A fear that, maybe, there was no hope – for Regulus always was entirely too optimistic – and even Severus had looked grief-stricken, hopeless, an anguish in his eyes that Lily had never before seen within him, when he'd told her the truth the night before.

That Harry was a horcrux.

Her own son.

Lily knew what that meant.

She didn't need Dumbledore whispering in her ear, condemning her for the fact that – maybe – she just would prioritize her own child's life over and above the lives of the rest of the world. That she would stand in front of her son, protecting him, and tell those who would challenge it that they would have to go through her first – kill her first – if they wanted to take her son and sacrifice him to the monster who wreaked havoc upon their world.

That she would bear that burden – the burdens of war, that Severus once spoke of – and make that choice.

That her son would live.

That her son deserved to live.

Lily's head dipped forward then, as tears sprung to her eyes, because guilt came, then, on the heels of her thoughts, as she thought of all the other sons and daughters who also deserved to live.

Who would be lost to this war that would never end; of the lives that would never be lived if Voldemort were never defeated.

All those who would be fighting, giving it all of themselves, while she…

Lily pressed her shaking hands to her face, as the tears came, once more.

A sob escaped her.

The door behind her opened with a bang and Grace suddenly ran past her, into the kitchen.

Lily quickly swiped at her eyes, as Grace called over her shoulder, "Julia got me a new dolly, Mummy! I'm going to give her a bath!"

"That's lovely, Sweetheart," Lily only just managed to muster up a response to call after daughter – her tone shaking when she did – as she ran on up the stairs.

As Lily wiped at her eyes – grateful that Grace's excitement prevented her from noticing her mother's distress – she felt Julia's hand on her shoulder, her voice gentle with concern.

"Hey."

Lily met her eyes, only able to hold her look for a moment, before she crumbled under it, "Jules."

"Hey," Julia said quietly, as she felt her arms wrap around her, hugging her tight, and Lily leaned in and sobbed against her.


"Was starting to wonder if you were ever gonna show up," Draco remarked, when Daphne stepped out of the Slytherin Common Room.

Shocked to find him actually waiting for her to carry out their evening prefect duties.

"Like you're one to talk, Draco," Daphne rolled her eyes, not bothering to wait for him as she headed down the corridor – in far too much of a good mood after the Hogsmeade visit for this – and said over her shoulder as he leisurely followed, "I've been doing the prefect patrols myself all week. Where have you been?"

"None of your business."

Daphne lifted her eyes, skywards, shaking her head as they made their way up the stairs and, when they arrived at the top, they were immediately met with the sight of Malachi – out past curfew – talking to Luna Lovegood a few feet away, with one of his shy, little smiles, obviously making up for the time lost by not inviting her out to Hogsmeade as his date.

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw, Lovegood," Draco immediately said, marching past, imperiously, "Out past curfew."

Malachi shot him a look, "What about Slytherin?"

Draco scoffed, eyeing him over his shoulder.

"You would ask, Blood Traitor."

Malachi watched him leave, before sharing a look with Daphne, who just gave him an apologetic shrug and glance at the timepiece.

Malachi smirked, rolling his eyes before turning back to Luna, as Daphne followed Draco, lamenting at what was sure to be a pleasant evening, half-wishing he hadn't bothered turning up again.

The two of them patrolled in almost-complete silence – Draco barking out orders and deducting House Points whenever they happened to pass anyone not in their own House – while Daphne watched him with a mix of both concern and annoyance, unable to believe how much of an arse he had become in recent weeks.

"You know you can quit with the act, Draco," Daphne eventually said, when they were making their way back down the stairs of the dungeons.

"What act, Greengrass? Think this whole prefect thing suits me, if anything."

Daphne reached up, touching his arm to stop him, when they reached the final step, "This isn't you, Draco."

"Like you know me."

"Think I know you pretty well. Must do, being friends with you for five years, right?"

"Surprised you'd even call me a friend. You obviously know what I am."

"I know what your father's turned you into," Daphne countered and Draco's chin lifted, slightly, and she caught a flash, then, in his eyes – a little bit of vulnerability – and she nodded, "I know how that is."

"Think this is a little different, Daphne," Draco started to walk by her, but she grasped his arm, firmly this time, to stop him.

"We're not our parents, Draco," she said, forcing him to look at her as she did, "We get to choose."

Draco eyed her, before something further along the corridor caught their eye.

It was Harry, Daphne realized, getting a smile to herself when she recognized him – even if she was a little confused at seeing him there, outside her Head of House's office at that time of night – and then Professor Snape stepped out a few moments behind him.

Neither noticed them and Harry glanced back over his shoulder, shooting Professor Snape a grin and saying something and – for a second – Daphne could have sworn that Professor Snape actually smiled.

The two of them parted, going their separate ways, Harry heading in the direction of Slughorn's staircase that would lead him the back way up to the Gryffindor Tower – obviously to keep his arrival and departure quiet – and Daphne frowned, completely bemused at what she'd just seen.

"Didn't realise your boyfriend was so cushy with Snape."

Daphne glanced at him, where he stood at her side.

Draco was watching after them – a glint in his eye – with just as much interest as she.


Regulus could tell – from the moment he'd woken to her eyes upon him - that there was something on Julia's mind.

And while he'd probed with questions and kisses throughout the day – wondering if there was something she wanted to tell him or discuss about the baby – it was past dinner time, when he'd almost given up, before Julia finally spilled on what it was that had been bothering her.

"Lily told me something yesterday," she said, when he wrapped his arms around her from behind, his hands resting on her stomach – unable to keep his hands away from there, these days, still amazed and delighted by this promise of the future she'd given him – and he realized, immediately, what this conversation was to be about.

"Ah."

Julia got a wry grin.

"Been expecting this conversation, have you?"

"Well, I'd be lying if I said it was something I've been anticipating," Regulus admitted, touching his nose to her temple, "But I knew when you married me, that certain deep dark secrets wouldn't be too long in coming out."

"These deep dark secrets you've always told me I'd be better off not knowing?"

"The very ones," Regulus turned her in his arms to face him, asking her, "What did Lily tell you?"

"Something about prophecies and horcruxes. Harry."

Regulus nodded, "And me?"

"It was implied," Julia said, getting a little smile, "But I remembered the term from your office a few weeks ago."

"Ah," Regulus grinned, looking down, and he nodded.

Regulus drew in a breath, caressing her cheek, having tried to avoid this for so long, now, that he wasn't entirely sure where to start.

With the way things were now – the end – for Lily had already decided to reveal the truth of it to her.

The final horcruxes.

Or at the beginning – when he'd been a terrified teenage boy, barely able to believe his eyes when he'd first read a forbidden text about the very things he'd then spent the next almost two-decades hunting – and he met her eyes.

At the look he saw in them – the faith and the love that was always there - Regulus reached for her, drawing her close, knowing that all he could possibly tell her was everything.

"Alright. I defected –" Regulus began as he drew in a steadying breath, telling the story for the first time, " – when I was eighteen, after an incident you may have read in the Prophet labelled the Anchor Ridge Massacre. Three months after that, I went looking for the first horcrux..."

He hesitated, when his voice waved, and he felt Julia's arms tighten, slightly – encouragingly – around him, and he nodded, touching his forehead to her temple.

"It is a rather long story, Mrs. Black."

Julia raised an eyebrow, affection in her gaze and her lips twitching.

"Well, I'm all yours."

Regulus smiled.

And then - from dusk until dawn - he told her it all.