Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Anything you recognize belongs to JK Rowling, anything else belongs to me.

Authors note: How quick was that? Very quick, if you ask me. Ok, so reviews are getting better but I still want more. I've decided that I won't update next until I have at least 24 reviews. So you better get reviewing! Not as long as I hoped for but its longish (for my standards). Oh, and ages ago I asked a question but nobody replied, so I'll ask again. Can someone please tell me what a BETA is? Lol, I know it's probably a stupid question but please answer me! Thanks for reading so far, and enjoy!

Chapter 6: Lost and Found

Revenge, one for the lost and the lonely, ending each day with if only…

Lilly watched the two head to head, behind the shadows. Bellatrix had told her to stay there until she was called. She obeyed without question. Her father and her Mentor together in battle, both capable of great or terrible things. Both strong and stubborn, both Heroes in their own worlds, and both had been admired by Lilly Potter.

Lilly's dark robes were hot, and the skull mask she hid behind made her face sweaty. It was the first time she had properly worn the robes. She had been presented with them only a day ago – it had honoured her. She had been told that years ago she would have been presented with a mark, a mark that bound her forever with the dark force. But only the oldest Death Eaters bore it now, boasting that they had been chosen by the Dark Lord himself. They called it the Dark Mark. It intrigued her deeply. The way that it was delicately 'branded' just underneath the skin by a powerful charm, or so they had told her, and the way that it was said to burn when the person was required by the Dark Lord. She envied the carriers of such an honour and wished that she could have it, right there on her left forearm for the world to see it. But she knew she never could. The Dark Mark had stopped years ago, when the Dark Lord had fallen he had taken the knowledge of how to brand it with him. And so the infamous ritual of the Branding had stopped, to be replaced by the Robe Presentation. Although not as high an honour as the Branding, it was still a worthy ceremony. Only true Death Eaters were presented with them by Bellatrix Black – like Lilly was.

The fight was getting tenser every moment. Each curse or jinx was countered by one even greater seconds afterwards. It was hard to follow the battle, what with the two figures dancing with the curses, dodging the jinxes. Once in a while one of them would be hit shortly followed by falling to the floor in agony, or a scream in pain. It was a never ending game of chance. One wrong move and you were out, finished, done for, dead.

They were alone, the three of them, in an alleyway not far from the main attack. They had lured Potter there knowing that his stubborn need to save the day would be enough to guaranty that he would follow. They had been cunning and sly, the two virtues that were needed for a good trap, and in the end it had paid off. They had got him and the plan was about to go into full action.

"We can't pay games all day Potter." taunted Bellatrix.

"Sirius always did say you were terrible at chess." Harry retorted, firing another curse. Bellatrix dodged it and turned viciously towards him. She smirked.

"How's that dear child of yours anyway Potter? Last I heard she disappeared, just like that." She snapped her fingers at the last word, teasing him. "Did she finally see the traitor hiding behind that heroic mask of yours? Did you drive her away?"

His green eyes flashed dangerously at her, daring her to continue. She remained silent, waiting for him to pounce as she knew he would.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, 'Bella, but I don't remember you being the perfect little Death Eater," he spat, "I'm sure that I can think of a few things that your fellow members would take a slight…interest in." Her eyes widened.

"I can think of a few things for you too. I'm sure Lilly would love to here them."

"An empty threat, 'Bella, you know as well as I do Lilly's gone…"

"I know a lot more than you do." She interrupted, eyes glinting with mischief. She shot a curse at him, but he ducked and rolled onto the floor, firing one at her doing so. They swapped curses, dodging them every time.

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice determined.

"Who?" she innocently replied.

"You know damned well who. Tell me!"

"Oh, I can't tell you," she stood up straight, playfully grinning at him, "No, I can do much better than that." And slowly her arm rose, she pointed to a corner close by and flicked her wrist up. A figure rose from the darkness, clad in black and face covered behind a white skull shaped mask.

"Hello, Father."

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Children screamed, separated from their parents. Hundreds lay on the cobbled ground motionless. Spells flew over peoples heads, bringing people to the floor to add numbers to the taken. Many tried to escape but there was no way out; they had cut off the floo network and warded the apparition points after the few aurors had arrived. They were trapped in chaos, defenceless and innocent. Not ready to have their lives snatched away.

And all they could do was hope and wait.

-------

Hermione tore down the street, firing curses at her attackers. She had to find Harry; he needed to know she was here.

A little girl stood crying in fear as a tall masculine figure loomed above her. Her parents must have been killed or captured thought Hermione. She couldn't bear watching it, she had to do something.

The man lifted his wand and pointed it at the girls trembling face, showing little mercy.

"Cru-"

"NO!" Hermione dived at the man's legs, knocking him down. She jumped up and pulled out her wand. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow you up right now." She threatened through gritted teeth.

"I should have known it was you, Granger. Only a mudblood like you would do something like this to your superior." The Death Eater spat, revealing his face from behind the mask as he stood up briskly.

"Malfoy," Hermione muttered, recognising the blonde hair and cold grey eyes at once.

"I see your intelligence hasn't faltered all these years, at least that's something." He smirked, picking up his wand and pointing it at her. "Now step aside mudblood and let me finish this runt off." He motioned to the small girl, still silently quivering behind the bushy headed Hermione.

She stood firm to one spot, trapping Draco.

"Have it your way." He shrugged, he silently flicked his wand and Hermione was blasted to the floor before she could react. She lay there, quite still as he looked at her tranquil body. She was still alive; he had only used the reducto curse on her. He bound her with invisible ropes and levitated her body. He could use her, and he could be deeply rewarded for this.

It was likely that Hermione Granger would never see her blood-traitor family again.

-------

"N-no," he stuttered falling backwards over his feet. He scrambled to the wall behind him, and picked him self up. They kept coming closer and closer, approaching his stuttering and stumbling body. He couldn't believe his eyes. His daughter was a death eater. It couldn't be, could it?

Everything he had ever fought for, everything his parents had died for, she was part of it. She was one of them. It wasn't right, it just wasn't.

Yet he still loved her, as much as he ever had.

"Lilly?"

She nodded in response. He reached out for her, but she avoided his grasp, stepping back.

"L-Lilly, its okay now, I'm here." He said, trying to bring her round. She laughed coldly, bringing shivers to his neck. She shook her head, and stepped forward reaching out a hand to him. He stepped forward to clasp it but she quickly withdrew it, making him fall to the ground again.

He looked up into her green eyes, disbelieving what she had just done. He searched the emerald pools of water for some sort of recognition but nothing came. Lilly was out of reach from him, she had changed.

"What happened?" he whispered, no expecting an answer.

"Cant you see? It's all your fault." She replied, and turned without a second glance to walk back to her mentor. They walked back together, leaving him there to stare as his daughter left him…forever.

-------

"Hermione!" he called, looking desperately around for her. She should've come back by now. Something was wrong. "Hermione! HERMIONE!" the place was deserted now, except for the dead bodies sprawled on the ground. Diagon Alley was a ghost town.

He headed towards the nearest empty shop, determined to find her.

"No point looking there, Weasley." A cold voice sounded from behind him. He quickly turned round to see a black hooded figure watching him.

"What?" he questioned, staring suspiciously at the figure. He couldn't risk t curse him, in case what he had to say was important.

"I said, there's no point looking over there," he repeated mysteriously. "She's gone; you won't be able to find her now."

"Who are you? Where is she?" Ron asked, worried about his wife.

"Never mind that, you'll never find her. You might as well give up." The man replied. Ron looked around, hoping that the familiar bushy brunette would pop out from behind him.

"Tell me who you are." He continued firmly. But the man was gone.

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No! Lilly, what happened? Why are you doing this? You had such a good life. Let me explain, I can explain everything. It doesn't have to be like this, we could start again. Please, Lilly, don't do this. Please, don't. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

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I have vengeance, at last. You thought that I was gone, didn't you father? Thought I was dead. But no, you were wrong yet again. I chose this, it was my decision. And no, I'm not sorry, I never will be. I don't have to be like you. I don't want to be like you. All those lies, how could you do it? I admit you had me fooled for a bit. I thought you had really come back to me. But I wish you never had, I liked it better when I didn't know you. She told me you know; everything about what you did. You started this, started it with the deceit. The war is not over…it's only just begun.