It was mid- August, and Diagon Alley was bustling with Hogwarts students pending another year at the magical school, just as it had been for centuries. However, this year was different. A deep sadness shrouded most of the young wizarding community, and even as they were thankful that Hogwarts was re-opening, it just wouldn't be the same without Dumbledore. The shops didn't break from the dreariness, as their windows still bore the Ministry posters of protection advice, and details of escaped Death Eaters. Many were bordered up, the Dark Mark above them gone from sight, but not from everyone's minds. The same applied to Dumbledore, who was not forgotten, particularly by three teenage wizards who were strolling past the recently-closed Madam Malkin's with dismal expressions on their faces. They were followed by a large man who bore the unmistakeable signs of having cried a great deal in a short distance of time.

"I thought Tonks was coming with us too, Hagrid" Harry said, confused.

"Ah well, she'll be protectin' someone else won't she?" came the reply. Hagrid followed this with a cough and began to avoid Harry's gaze as if he knew what was coming next.

"Who?" demanded Ron, although he already knew the answer.

"It'll be the Malfoy boy and his mother won't it?" Hagrid replied with a tone of forced indifference. Harry, Hermione and Ron all looked darkly at one another. Hagrid seemed to sense that they were holding back from saying something, and he stopped them all in their tracks and spun them around to face him, nearly knocking Hermione over in the process.

"Now look 'ere you lot. The Order trusts the Malfoys now. They're on our side. Wouldn't they have done somethin' by now if they weren't? Now-"

Hagrid stopped to put his dustbin-lid sized hand out in front of him to prevent any of them saying anything, as all three were looking very angry, and Ron's ears had turned bright red.

"- there's no use in tellin' me they've got it wrong, yeh've told me it all before, but Dumbledore woulda said the same as me. Yeh saw what happened Harry, That Malfoy boy might be a cocky little… thing-" Hagrid's eyes darkened and they could tell he was remembering the Hippogriff incident

"- but he's no murderer" Hagrid concluded. "He weren't never gonna 'urt Dumbledore. There's no use in makin' more enemies, we need as many people on our side as we can get. And now Lucius is gone, the Malfoys need our help anyway"

Hermione and Ron still looked thoroughly disbelieving, but turned to walk on all the same. Harry however was looking at Hagrid with an expression of incredulity and rage and finally burst out: "What happened to you, Hagrid? You'd never have believed anything like that before! You hated the Malfoys as much as any sane person!"

Hagrid shook his shaggy head and said in a low voice "Dumbledore, tha's what happened-" His voice cracked and he burst into tears. Harry couldn't catch any more of his speech. All that was audible over the hysterical sobs were things like: "Great man" and "trust"

Harry sighed and waited for the sobbing to subside. When it had, Hagrid wiped the last few tears from his beetle-eyes and ushered Harry forwards into Flourish and Blotts.

A few doors away, a harassed-looking blonde woman was flitting around the street, calling her son's name. Her voice was more high-pitched than usual, and her lip was trembling. Her eyes were darting everywhere and she was hysterical. "Where's my boy? My Draco, he was right here with me! Oh if they've got him, if my sister-"

"I'm right here, Mother"

She turned and saw her son, his white-blonde hair ruffled from the wind, closely followed by a tall woman with a heart-shaped face and bubblegum-pink hair.

"Where were you?" Narcissa shrieked at her son.

Draco looked his mother in the eye, but then quickly looked away again. "I was behind you Mother, don't worry. I just forgot something"

Why did his mother always have to make him feel guilty? Draco thought bitterly to himself. He felt guilty enough as it was. His mother didn't know half of what Draco had done to make him feel guilty. And she never would, if he had anything to do with it. He was eaten up by guilt, he didn't need any more.

"Come on Draco, we've just got to go to Flourish and Blott's now. Narcissa, why don't you go home? You look unwell." Tonks looked worriedly at her Aunt, peering into her lined, anxious face.

"No, no! I need to be with my son, it is dangerous!"

"Narcissa, I insist. I am an auror; I can make sure my cousin doesn't get hurt. We're only in Diagon Alley"

Narcissa finally agreed, and with one last apprehensive look at her son, disapparted with a crack. Tonks and Draco walked on to the bookstore a few doors down. Draco's thoughts strayed back to his mother, and the terrible secret he was keeping from her. No, Draco thought. No, it wasn't terrible. It just… happened. And in the end it was good that it happened, but he knew his Mother would not see it that way. Would she? Draco became aware after several minutes that Tonks was watching him suspiciously. She caught his eye and she hastily said "Is there something you're not telling me, Draco?"

"No" Draco replied, with a thin smile. "No, I'm fine"

But as Tonks led Draco into the shop he couldn't help thinking he was far from fine. It was only a matter of time before someone found out what had happened, and when they did, if his Mother turned her back on him, who would he have left then?