Hermione and Tonks hid out among the trees. Tonks held the Polyjuice potion under the moonlight and made a face.

"Why do I have to take this again?" Tonks asked. "It tastes like ass."

"How do you know what it tastes like?"

"I experimented once or twice."

"Does it work on you?"

"This is a bad time to ask that, but yes, it does."

Hermione shrugged and said, "To answer your original question, I am having you take it because your emotional state is compromised."

Tonks pursed her lips. "My mother paid a visit to the Manor, I presume?" she asked.

"She did. And I know the mere thought of Remus Lupin will," Hermione paused and pointed at the red hair Tonks was sporting, "do exactly that. I do not want to risk that while we are in Azkaban."

Tonks took a deep breath, and her hair went back to its original color. "Fair. But I still don't see why it has to be him, though," she said.

"Believe it or not, he was a pretty good asset for us in the Ministry. Unfortunately, when news got around about You-Know-Who being sick, he went to the other You-Know-Who for amnesty."

"Did he spill any secrets?"

Hermione pulled her hair out of its ponytail and shook it out, waving a hand over her face. She blinked, her red eyes adjusting to the darkness, and said, "He did. It is why he is currently out of the picture. Plus, he was the only one with easy access."

"Fine. I'll take the damn potion, but only because I know, you'll force it down my throat regardless. But I want it known I do not like this plan," she said.

"I will take it up with the Dark Lord," Hermione quipped.

"Ha."

Tonks opened the vial and held her nose. She drank the potion, and before long, Auror John Dawlish stood before Hermione.

"You look awful," Hermione teased.

"Thanks. I feel it," Tonks said, grabbing at her throat. "Fuck. I wish it were anyone else."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, and Tonks folded her arms, jutting out her hip like a putout teenager.

"He may or may not have spread a rumor that I have a flat chest and that I have to puff them up every morning before work," she grumbled.

"Do you?"

"No! Why on Earth would you ask me that?" Tonks exclaimed.

"To make sure your hair stayed the same," Hermione said. "And it did. So, let's go. We are on a time limit, remember?"

"I hate you."

Hermione rubbed her amulet and whispered, "Ego autem in obumbratio."

Black mist poured out of the amulet and wrapped around Hermione until she was no longer there. Tonks blinked and shook her head. She knew the plan, remembered the plan, but she was somewhat thrown at the fact Hermione was a literal shadow. It took a lot of effort not to trip, though Tonks was sure that had more to do with the fear of pissing off her cousin than anything.


Bellatrix laid down on her cot. They'd just dropped her off in her cell. She'd thrown up at least three times since, and her voice was hoarse from the number of times she'd screamed. Down the hall, she could hear the others crying and arguing with themselves. Still, Bellatrix couldn't stay awake long enough to focus. Her eyes closed, her breathing evened out, and unbeknownst to the sleeping witch, a blanket appeared over her prone body. The slit in her wall that acted as a window opened just enough to let in more of the ocean breeze, and a nearby Dementor avoided the cell on its nightly visit to the third floor.


Luna sipped a glass of firewhiskey as she reclined on the hill, her back against a rock. She counted the stars, just like she used to when she was a child, and smiled at the echoes of her mother's laugh. She heard the grass bend behind her and sighed.

"How long are you two planning on hiding in the woods?"

Fred and George came out of the woods. They were suspicious, rightfully so.

"I promise I will not hurt you," she said. "Come, sit."

"What's with the secrecy?" Fred asked.

They sat down in front of her, and Luna held up her finger.

"We are not having this conversation here," she said. "Because you were followed, and we only have a few minutes before your siblings get close enough to hear what I have to say."

"What?" George exclaimed. "How did you know that?"

"Let's just say I am in tune with the Earth around my home," she said.

"So, where do you want to have the conversation?" Fred asked.

"I know somewhere we can go," Luna said, a secret smile on her face.

She picked up the bottle of firewhiskey and held it out between them.

"Grab it. We only have a few seconds before they get here," she said, shaking the bottle.

The twins shared a look before they both grabbed hold of the bottle. Luna grinned, and the three vanished from sight just as Ron and Ginny stumbled out into the clearing. They looked around in confusion. Ginny smacked her brother.

"I told you they wouldn't come here," she hissed.

"I could've sworn they were heading in this direction," he said, rubbing his arm.

"You woke me up for nothing! Ugh!"

Ginny stormed off in the opposite direction, and Ron groaned as he followed her.


Tonks, polyjuiced as Dawlish, tried not to squirm in the uncomfortable clothes. So far, the amulet was working. Hermione used the Imperius curse on the boat driver, and they were sailing across the ocean faster than normal. When Azkaban came into view, Tonks knew the biggest challenge had yet to come. When the boat docked, a young guard came up and asked for identification. Tonks showed her, well, an Auror badge.

"Auror Dawlish?" he read. "What are you doing here so late?"

"Did you not get the letter?" Tonks asked, cringing at the sound of Dawlish's voice. She hated the way that man spoke.

"What letter?"

"The one about the interrogation?"

"I haven't seen a letter."

"Come on, son. Surely you don't expect me to go all the way back to the Ministry just for a letter?"

"Um, shit, uh, you want me to take you to the Warden or something?" the guard asked.

"Are you new here?" she asked.

The guard deflated and said, "Yeah. The Minister borrowed some of the guards for his fancy fundraiser tonight. They pulled in some trainees for the late-night shift."

"Least it's the late-night. They should all be sleep, right?" Tonks said.

"Well, mostly. There's one prisoner who is still awake. Some guards brought her up from isolation right before they left for the fundraiser."

Tonks took long strides, which forced the guard to run to catch up. "Which prisoner?" she asked.

"Lestrange, I think is what they said," the guard panted. "They said she'd been smiling a lot lately. They took her down to isolation and let the Dementors loose on her. She hasn't smiled since."

Tonks stopped so suddenly the guard slammed into her. She didn't waver, thankfully, and she yanked the poor boy off the dirt.

"S-sorry," he stammered.

"Just take me to the Warden," she snapped.

"Yes, sir!"

The guard practically ran into the prison, and Tonks pretended to admire the entrance to give Hermione enough time to slip inside. When nothing happened after a few minutes, Tonks grunted.

"This place gives me the creeps," she said.

"Me too. I'm only here because my Dad said it would be a good opportunity to toughen me up."

Tonks ignored him. The young guard quickly unlocked the door to the Warden's office, and Tonks dragged the young guard in with her. She threw him into the seat.

"Auror Dawlish?" the Warden greeted, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"What on Earth made you think giving up your guards for a fundraiser was a good idea?"

"It's just for a few hours. Plus, it's the late shift. These assholes are all sleeping. Now, what are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you."

"Warn me?" The Warden stood, wand in hand. "Warn me about what?"

Tonks felt the spell fly past her ear. The Warden's head slipped off his shoulders and rolled under the table. The young guard looked at Tonks, who shrugged, but before he could get his wand out, his head met the same fate as the Warden. A pair of keys went flying at Tonks's head. She caught them dead-on. Tonks exited the room and didn't flinch when she heard the door close behind her. She came up to three of the first-level guards and sighed.

"You guys picked a bad night not to go dancing."

Three flashes of red lights flew past Tonks and hit the three guards straight in the chest. Some of the low-level prisoners starting cheering, and Tonks hurried up the stairs. Each guard she passed went down by a stunner. By the third level, Tonks was rushing toward the cell she knew her Aunt to be. She stopped at the right one and went through every key until she got the one she needed. She unlocked the cell and opened the door.

"Bella?" she whispered. "Are you in here?"

The sickly woman stepped into the moonlight and eyed Tonks warily. Well, she eyed Dawlish warily. But then her eyes landed on something over Tonks's shoulder. Her eyes widened.

"You came," she wheezed.

Tonks felt like she was interrupting a moment, so she ran down the hall. She had eleven coins in her pocket that would activate as soon as she handed them to the people they belonged to. Everyone else was on their own.

While she ran, she didn't even think about how Bellatrix knew Hermione was behind Tonks, well hidden by decades-old magic.


Luna, Fred, and George arrived on the hill after Lucius, Draco, and a cloaked Tom.

"Hello, my love," Luna greeted.

Draco lifted his mask enough to kiss Luna soundly on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him and glanced back at Fred and George.

"I have a proposition for you two," she said. "One that will get you out of the Burrow and on the dark side where you really belong. Where you really want to be."

"What's the proposition?" Fred asked.

"Join the Dark Lord. Use your evil little inventions to help us win the War, and you'll have everything you desire and more," she said.

"Why should we?" George asked.

Luna laughed. "Because the Order will always treat you two like mischievous children who play with toys. When have they ever used any of your inventions outside of using them as examples for what not to do when you reach a certain age? How often does your mother belittle you? How often do Ron, Charlie, Percy, and Ginny get the right kind of attention while you two are left to your own devices? You two have never fit in with your family. But a lesson my mother used to teach me as a kid says that wolves can only hide among sheep for so long. So, here's your chance. Drop the act and join us. Or die on this hill for absolutely nothing."

Fred and George had another silent conversation. Luna played with the hem of Draco's robes and kissed the outside of his mask.

"What do we need to do?" Fred asked.

"A simple vow at the moment. I'm sure the Dark Lord will add something else," she said.

Fred and George took out their wands. Draco shifted Luna behind him protectively, but it wasn't necessary as the two held them in the air.

"Very good." Luna took out her own wand and added, "Repeat after me. I solemnly swear-

"I solemnly swear-

"To serve the Dark Lord-

"To serve the Dark Lord-

"Until the day I die."

"Until the day I die."

"I swear to trust the Dark Lord-

"I swear to trust the Dark Lord-

"And I swear to never betray the Dark Lord."

"And I swear to never betray the Dark Lord."

"I swear my wand, my life, and my blood to the Dark Lord on this day-

"I swear my wand, my life, and my blood to the Dark Lord on this day-

"So mote it be."

"So mote it be."

Luna stepped forward and grabbed Fred's arm first. Hermione taught her how to add a temporary Dark Mark until she gave them all a real one. Her tongue protruded from her lips as she etched into Fred's skin with a Crescent Moon with a dragon wrapped around it. She did the same to George.

"A moon?" Fred asked.

"So very on the nose, Little Luna," George said.

"It's temporary. It's only to show the Dark Lord you two have taken the vow," she said.

George rubbed his wrist.

"How long have you been on this side?" he asked.

Luna smirked and crooked her finger.

"Come. Let's watch the show," she said.

"What show?"

"The one where the Order kills the Death Eaters."


Bellatrix was focused on the figure standing in the hall.

"Wait, you can see me?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, I can," Bellatrix whispered.

She took one step but fell to her knees. She clawed at the dirt as she dry-heaved, and soft hands pulled her up.

"My love, what have they done to you?"

She couldn't answer. Hermione thrust a coin into her hand and told her to say the home of her youngest sister. Bellatrix closed her eyes.

"Malfoy Manor," she whispered.

Bellatrix's world was shaken as she landed on her knees in the foyer of Malfoy Manor. She was conscious long enough to see the shocked face of her sister appear over her.


Hermione stared at the spot where Bellatrix once was.

Save me.

Hermione was startled out of her thoughts by the voice. It was unfamiliar but familiar all the same. She placed her free hand on the wall and felt the building tremble under her touch.

"You are alive," she whispered.

A pulse of magic went through her arm, but the moment was short-lived.

Save me.

Hermione nodded. She ran out of the cell, saw Tonks/Dawlish waiting in the distance, and grabbed her amulet. She said softly, "Non plus ex obumbratio."

The black mist melted away from her and receded back into her amulet. The hood of her mother's cloak shielded her face.

"Come. We need to get as many of these prisoners out of here," she said.

The two of them ran down the stairs, passing prisoners who were strong enough to escape and some who were strong enough to carry their comrades. Guards were trampled by running prisoners. Once they were on the main floor, Hermione placed her wand to her throat and caught everyone's attention.

"If you have remained faithful to the Dark Lord, consider this your reward. If you do not, consider this your warning. Should you choose to stand against us, then you will soon discover this is just the beginning."

Some prisoners stopped, listening to every word Hermione was saying, while others slipped out. The sound of a boat starting up told Hermione all she needed to know, but she continued. This was more than a rescue mission. It was also a recruiting assignment.

"The Dark Lord has a place for you if you wish to be a part of the change. If that is your desire, seek us, and we shall find you. If not, be wary of your shadows. Until then…come. Let us leave the island for good."

Hermione dropped her wand and turned around. The prisoners followed her and Tonks/Dawlish out into the open. As she reached the door, Hermione seized. Images of what she needed to do flashed through her mind, unbidden. She gasped and panted as she caught her breath.

"Are you alright?"

Hermione nodded. Her body moved on its own accord as her hand lifted into the air. The words fell from her lips with little effort.

"Cum alligatus ego liberabo te," she whispered.

A bolt of light shot from her fingertips and crashed into the prison wall. Flames the color of lightning enveloped the building. Dementors screeched and fled the island. Prisoners screamed and shouted in shock, but Hermione was entranced, broken by an urgent tug on her arm.

"Focus," Tonks hissed in her ear.

Hermione removed the bag of coins she hid in her cloak and tossed them at the nearest prisoner. She hoped there were enough. If not...

"Hold the coin and say 'Knockturn Alley.' You will be on your own then," she said to them.

She then grabbed Tonks. The two apparated off the island in black smoke.