Disclaimer -- I own nothing... not even my home... it's all JK Rowling's, who is one of the most creative people I have ever had the privilege to read...

Bringing Lost Lambs Home - Part 2

Harry and Ron waited for Draco to change again and left the apartment. They walked to a pub at the end of the block, entered and walked to a back corner table. Draco watched the fizz of his beer as it rose to the top and popped. "I miss Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks." He said to no one in particular. They sat quietly waiting for their friend to talk. "I love her" he said after a few minutes, before breaking down into tears, "I love her so much it hurts. I don't know what happened. One day we were happy, the next day, I wasn't a part of her life anymore." He looked up into the eyes of his friends with his tears still streaming down his face.

"I feel like my world has been pulled out from under my feet. It's like, God, I don't even know how to explain it. We were so close for so long. It's almost like… someone cut me in half and I wander around looking for the rest of me. When we work, I can watch her. I see her determination to save the kids. I see her look of personal anger when someone comes in that was hurt on purpose. She's amazing in her passion.

"I'm just not her passion anymore. I mean, we spend time together, sort of. I don't think she is having an affair. I know I'm not. I never even think of other women, all I want is her. I'm just losing my mind. I don't know how Sirius did it." The friends sat quietly as his personal diatribe went on for hours.

Mason walked down the hall to his sister's room. "I know you are in there. You may as well come out, or I'll come in." There was no movement from the other side of the door at the threat. "MADISON ELIZABETH COWAN LUPIN MALFOY -- LET ME IN NOW!" Still no movement met his words, "I know you are there, Mads. Come on, I know you are falling into the same madness we watched mom go to. Let me help you." He finally returned to the living room and moving a recliner, sat it in the hall to where when she did finally come out; she would have to trip over him to get to the bathroom.

Madison sat on her bed. It was once the bed she shared with her lover and friend, her husband, but since that night when she moved him out of her room, she had transfigured it to a twin bed. She moved everything that was him out of her sight. Everything he had given her, stuffed animals, notes, gifts of any kind were no longer there. She had taken all the pictures off the wall and stored them in the closet in the hall. She cut herself off from anyone who loved her. She had thrown herself into her schooling, wanting to finish it before…. But she could never remember before what. What ever it was; was driving her mad. She did not sleep. When exhaustion overtook her, she was awakened by nightmares and pain. She could not keep anything down she ate. She wasn't living. She knew her brother would stay exactly where he was until she opened the door. She also knew she would not open the door until it was time to leave to collect her certificate of completion. Then she would leave New York and chase the dreams that were killing her inside. With her plan firmly in place, she quietly packed a small bag and waited until the sun rose the next morning.

Mason, true to his word did not leave the chair in the hallway. The others had returned and Draco slept in his room, while Harry and Ron sent an owl to the wives, parents, and babies to tell them about the day; before laying on the two couches in the small living room.

The morning light crept through the small window of her room. Grabbing her bag, she rose quietly and unlocked her door. Her brother in his chair was completely blocking the hallway. She sent a small stunning spell at him; then crawled over him and used the restroom. When she came out, Ron and Harry were blocking the hall. Draco opened his door just in time to hear them tell her to wait. They just wanted to talk to her. Draco looked to Mason and muttered "enervate." Madison woke with a start and saw her door open. Turning around he saw her path blocked by two friends her side exit blocked by her husband and her rear exit blocked by her brother.

He looked to his little sister, so different than the last time he had seen her, "Mads?" Mason said using their childhood names, "Come on, what's happened? It can't have been that bad." Her steel-grey eyes were black when she met his eyes for a split second; the air around her crackled. Ron and Harry were blown back with the force of a small bomb as her pain radiated down the hall. Mason was knocked back into her room as Draco was knocked into his. She walked to the door of the small apartment and walked through it without a backward glance.

It took some time before the four men woke; each with a pounding headache, trying their way to find the others. Mason was on her bed, when Draco found him. Draco hung his head and cried when he saw the bed they had shared for over a year transfigured into a small twin size mattress and box springs. He looked around the undecorated room. Neat was a good word, but one could have used sparse to describe it as well. There simply were no possessions there. Her clothes were in the closet, but so were boxes of items that he would have to go through later. Draco called the hospital administration, Madison had picked up her certificate just before he called and was last seen leaving the front door of the hospital. She had left a note for him with the secretary. He would pick in up in a bit.

He returned to the apartment an hour after leaving. The note, it turns out, was a goodbye note. She would not be back. She did not want him to look for her nor did she want his interference. She did not offer any explanations or apologies. She was simply gone. At that moment, he realized that Madison Elizabeth Black-Lupin Cowan Malfoy was lost to him.

The last of his possessions packed, he looked around the apartment one last time. He saw, tucked in the corner of a cabinet of the bathroom, a small shoe box. He opened it as he sat on the tiled floor. There were two small christening gowns, her wedding ring, charm bracelet, and the belt he had bought her for their first Valentine's Day together. There was also a baby book, well used and thoroughly marked. In capital black letters inside the front cover were the names "Lucius Jonathan Draco and Rowan Jane Malfoy!" He stared at them, trying to remember something that was just not there. He repacked the box, shrunk it and put it in his pocket. He joined the friends and each carrying a box or bag, left New York for good.

When they returned to the estate and told Rowan and Sirius what happened, she was horrified. She met eyes briefly with Harry. "The prophesy," was all she said. He nodded and left them to talk to Draco and Mason while they started the research.