Author's Note: Ah! I finally made it to through this chapter. This one has had so many drafts that it's not even funny. At some point I may come back and tweak with it some more, but right now I know you're all eager to read, so I'm just posting it as is. I apologize for any typos, but when you're up at midnight editing, bad typing happens.

Chapter 49

Fang's frightened bark preceded his rapid appearance. It wasn't his normal cringing yelp, but held a more urgent, terrified note in each bark Heather realized. She stood, eyes glued to the cowardly hound. Cassie wasn't with him.

"Cassie." Heather called, trying to keep the sudden anxiety from her voice. No answer. "Cassie!" This time with a bit more urgency. Still no answer, just Fang's whimpering.

"Cassiopeia Lily Malfoy!" That feeling of dread was back, the same as when she'd been taken five months ago. Dropping the watering can, Heather ran behind the hut, hoping that she was just jumping to conclusions, that the school was safe that Cassie had simply gotten herself stuck somewhere, that Death Eaters hadn't breached the security perimeter that Harry and Ron had set up.

Hagrid grabbed the dog and looked into his eyes.

"Where's Cassie?" he asked gently. The dog whined, giving the only answer he could. Heather's shout caused the half-giant to leave Fang. He hurried around back.

The Irish woman stood stalk still, her face drained of its color.

"She's gone. The Death Eaters broke through."

"No, they didn't, they couldn't," Hagrid said slowly in disbelief.

"I'm goin' ta Draco, we havena a moment ta lose," she informed him gathering her nerves together. There weren't much, but she had to steal herself enough to face Draco. Cassie was supposed to be safe with her and this was the second time she'd failed at protecting her from Lucius.

"Go quickly, I'll keep lookin'. You never know," He gave her a weak smile, but both of them new it wasn't comforting. Thanking him, Heather ran as fast as she could back to the castle.

Each step felt like an eternity. The courtyard was so far away, but she wouldn't be daunted. Heather didn't know what she'd do if Cassie were injured. She'd lost her child to Voldemort; she wouldn't let her goddaughter share his fate.

Reaching the doors inside, she paused for a second to open them then bolted towards her living quarters. The staircases nearly moved, but one threatening growl and they remained in place. She reached the landing to the teachers' rooms in little time. Catching her foot on an uneven stone, she nearly fell, but caught herself on the stone portal. It wasn't that far now, only thirteen doors down.

The men were in the kitchen cutting fruit when Heather burst in. The front door crashed against the wall immediately startling both. Poking their heads around the corner, they noted the older woman breathing heavily from her run.

"Cassie…missin'…suspect Death Eaters," she wheezed, hand braced on the door jam for support. "Hagrid's…still…lookin'."

Draco went deathly still.

Grabbing the nearest chair, Harry rushed over and grabbed her before she collapsed. Waving her hands, she tried to tell him she wasn't that weak, but allowed him to help her into the chair. "What happened?" he asked urgently.

"We were out with Hagrid," she began her lungs aching for more air. "She was playin' with Fang." Taking a few more ragged breaths, Heather tried again hoping that it was enough to convey more. "We heard him bark. She was only out of our sight fer a moment. I…I…"

"Shush, it's not your fault," Harry whispered seeing her eyes well up with tears.

"I shouldna let'er out o' my sight," she sobbed finally losing her composure. Leaning forward, her head in her hands, she began apologizing to Draco and Harry, her voice broken by sobs. Harry rubbed Heather's shoulder, trying to get the woman to calm down a little, but it wasn't working. She blamed herself and at the moment wasn't much good. Harry gave a desperate pleading look at Draco. His boyfriend hadn't made a sound since Heather had first spoken.

Draco stood completely still. In one hand, the knife he'd been using to cut the fruit they'd been preparing was shaking. In the other, the orange had been squished, it's juice running down the blond's fingers, dripping onto the floor.

"Draco?" Harry ventured.

Shock and fear had drained him white. Draco's eyes were devoid of life and looked almost like glass. He looked more like a wax doll than himself. Fearing he might faint, Harry moved to him. The second he touched him, all color returned to the man's face. Draco's eyes were alive with rage turning them a storm cloud gray.

"I'll kill him," he hissed, a cruel smile threatening to curl the edges of his mouth. "I'll kill them all for every hair they injure on her. I'll make it slow and painful, twisting their bones until they're no longer recognizable. This will end."

Shocked, Harry couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Even when they were in school, Draco had never sounded so cruel. The look of madness in Draco's expression chilled Harry to the bone more than his daughter's apparent abduction. If Draco made good on his word, the result would send him to Azkaban. Harry, couldn't let that happen.

"We're going to Dumbledore. Right now," he said firmly, taking a hold of Draco. "We'll get them. She's my daughter too and I won't let anyone else in my family die by Voldemort's hand." For a second he saw a flash of lucidity in the blond's face before the terror driven vengeance returned. Yet, Draco didn't move other than toss the squashed orange on the floor. There was enough reason left to keep him from acting out his threat immediately. He knew they'd need a plan and the others, but once they got there, Draco made no promises.

"I won't let another family member die, not now, not ever again," Harry promised, rubbing his thumb along the inside of Draco's arm. Being orphaned at such a young age had left him with a longing he never could appease in his heart. Cassie, she was his flesh and blood. She was his as much as Draco's and he had the power to protect her. Sending a swift prayer that wherever his parents were that they would watch over her. He'd spent too short a time with Cassie, now wasn't the time to say good-bye.

"Harry?" Ron stuck his head in from the doorway. "Someone said they saw Heather run…" He stopped and took in scene. "Where's Cassie?"
"Gone," Harry replied his eyes becoming hard. "Get the others." The redhead didn't need to hear anything more. He was gone as quickly as he'd come, hurrying to round up the other members of the group.

It took a few minutes before everyone involved gathered in Draco and Harry's quarters. The only person missing was Snape.

"We won't wait for Severus, he's occupied," Dumbledore informed them, indicating that the spy was at work. McGonagall nodded, the only one to acknowledge the old wizard. She stood beside him with Lupin on her left. Black sat next to Heather on the sofa, looking about as sane as Draco did.

The escaped convict was positive he knew who had kidnapped Cassie. He'd been scenting Pettigrew all week, but hadn't been able to catch the rat. Even his warning to Harry hadn't seemed to have done much, he regretted not having pressured the others into taking Pettigrew as more of a threat than just an informant for Voldemort.

Natalie sat in one chair with Ron looming behind her. Draco paced like a caged animal behind him, with Neville and Ginny keeping well away from the distressed father on the other side of the room. Hermione held the final chair with Percy and Harry on either side. All attention was focused on Dumbledore.

"We mustn't waste time. I believe we have an idea where Cassiopeia has been taken," The Headmaster began.

"Yes," Draco snarled. "Malfoy Manor."

"Exactly. Unfortunately, I'm sure it is a trap. Draco, you must not go alone. Harry, Ron and Neville…"

"I'm goin' too," Heather interrupted. "There's nothin' ya can do to stop me." Dumbledore nodded understanding.

"Sirius and Remus will also go along. We don't know how many of Voldemort's forces are there, but I doubt it is many at this moment. That's why we must strike now…"

"I'm going too," Hermione stated standing up. "What if every Death Eater is there?" She crossed her arms. "We'll need every available person."

"I agree," Percy moved to stand next to her. "We're all able and knowledgeable. One more wizard could make the difference."

Dumbledore didn't argue. They were right. They were all about to step into the unknown and any advantage they could have would help. For a brief moment he wished he could join them, but someone had to stay behind. In case they failed, there had to be a leader to refocus the remaining forces. Looking at Natalie he knew she'd be staying as well. She carried a child and that was too precious to put in harms way. Ginny would also stay, not because she wanted to, but for Natalie and her family's sake. In times gone by, it was the women who stayed behind to protect the innocents while the men slew the enemy. This was how it was to be for Ginny. It was how it'd been for Heather.

Closing his eyes, Dumbledore remembered well the night they found her son's broken remains. The Death Eaters had tortured him for information. Whether he gave in or not, no one ever knew, but Dumbledore had been the one to tell the widow her only child was gone. She'd wanted to fight then, to seek revenge, but instead retreated back to Ireland. He'd lost track of her until Draco had arrived with Cassie. He wouldn't stop her this time from confronting the Death Eaters. He owed her that much consideration.

They were leaving now, preparing for what could be the final confrontation. A part of him wanted to force them to stay, to protect them. They weren't children anymore and he could do nothing more for them. Whatever they had learned, he prayed it served them well.