Chapter 17

"Draco Malfoy?" Kate Tiaret scrunched her nose a little. "He hasn't been heard from for over eighteen years. Hermione, you were the last one to talk to him. What can you remember?" Hermione shrugged, still slightly in shock. They were in Kate's office, all huddled into large, individual couches. Minerva looked out the window; Ruth gazed intently at Kate. It was perceivable that Kate found this off-putting, and didn't even make eye contact with the woman. Adrienne had her knees pulled up to her torso, her shoes on the floor.

"Nothing much. I keep wondering if maybe we can create a locating charm."

Kate shrugged. "He must be taking some measures if he's been unaccounted for these past eighteen years."

"But nobody's been looking for him, for the past eighteen years." Hermione countered. "He's the son of a dead Death Eater, and his mother's dead, too; the estates were reclaimed by the Ministry; nobody's had any need or want to contact him for the past eighteen years!" Hermione, a little worked up by this talk, slumped back into her chair, her eyes fading again. "I want to save my baby," she muttered.

"We can use Lianna's DNA." Adrienne said. Kate, Ruth and Minerva turned to look at her, shocked. Kate spoke up.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, Ruth used the word DNA to explain what makes spells unique- I gather it's what makes humans unique, too. But, children are parts of their parents- so, if we use some of Lianna's DNA, figure out which bits belong to Draco, then we can use that as the basis for the tracking spell."

"You have your mother's mind," Kate beamed.

"But more ingenuity," Hermione added. "It could work. We've got my DNA to contrast with; and Lianna's not going to complain. All we need is a lab with the equipment." There was light, and purpose in Hermione's gaze again.

"I'm sure I can arrange it," Ruth smiled. Minerva added, "And whatever we can't get, I'll transfigure."

"We can make a room at Hogwarts. It'll be safe there, and we'll all be free to work." Adrienne could feel her cheeks flushing with determination. "And if we need help, we've got all the other teachers right at our fingertips."

Hermione nodded, "do you think you could loan me to Hogwarts, Kate?"

Kate nodded in return, "I think it would be appropriate, under the circumstances. I'll talk to Kiraten about it. You'll be there by the end of the day."

Hermione sighed, before smiling at her daughter. Adrienne smiled back. "We're going to save Lianna."

~*~

"There we go, one very meticulously transfigured lab. Even Snape would be willing to work in this lab," Varimont smiled mischievously at Hermione, and winked at Adrienne when her mother wasn't looking. Minerva had overturned the task to her, needing rest. Adrienne gave a start- did Varimont know? How? Adrienne glanced at herself in the stainless steel bench top- well; she did look a little like her father. She would never have admitted it to herself before, but she didn't mind. She knew who he was, at least. It was a shock to know that a man who had intimidated her for such a long time was actually her father. Adrienne wondered if she would ever be able to tell her mother.

"Ri? You're looking pensive." Hermione stood next to her daughter, and sighed inwardly. Her daughter- the introvert. Adrienne's eyes turned to gaze at her mother.

"Yes, I am a little. It's all a bit of a shock."

"You found out, two days ago, didn't you?"

"Yes." Adrienne turned to look back at the bench top.

"He's still alive, isn't he."

Adrienne didn't answer. Hermione knew. She just didn't want to admit it to herself. "I don't want to know, do I?"

Adrienne shrugged. "That's for you to decide. But I think you know anyway."

Hermione glanced at her daughter. Yes, she did know.

"I told myself, when I decided to save the money for the spell, that I didn't want to know. But I think I was lying to myself. I did want to know. Just so I had someone to hate. And do you know what?"

Adrienne shook her head, absently.

"You are both born to the only two men that attended that revel that I could not possibly hate." Hermione paused for a moment more, then turned and walked from the room.

Adrienne watched the sunset from the window.

There was a soft shuffling behind Adrienne, and her senses, although before attuned to her racing, inward thoughts turned outward, suddenly. She didn't turn around, but used all her other senses to try to pick the person behind her. The person stopped behind her. Adrienne finally turned her head to see who it was, unable to keep where she was.

It was Snape. He didn't look at her; instead, he stared out the window at the fading sunset.

"You are my daughter." Adrienne turned to look out the window again.

"Yes," she replied quietly. Somehow, her voice was much steadier than it felt.

"Good," he murmured. Silence descended again.

Finally, the last edge of the shimmering sun fell below the horizon, leaving the world cloaked in ever-deepening darkness.

"Good," Snape repeated, then turned and walked out, as silently as he had arrived.

"Good," Adrienne whispered after the door had closed behind him. She was startled to notice tears falling down her face. She gave in to them, crouched to the floor, and wept.

~*~

A/N: Oh, this was a beautiful day to write. Thanks to reviewers; keep dreaming those beautiful dreams of yours.

*kitten