I was completely numb. I didn't know how to feel.

Kingsley was speaking, but though the words washed over me, I struggled to make any sense or meaning of them. All I could feel was Daphne's hand pressed against mine, and the warm drops of her tears falling onto them. All of the pain and unresolved trauma I had been holding onto suddenly seemed to expand, threatening to consume me whole. It had nowhere else to go now.

"…of course, I'll have the assets divided equally between you both, and given the addition of clause thirteen there'll be no need for-

"Shacklebolt," Daphne said, so loudly and clearly it shook me from my haze. "I don't care about the assets. What happened to them?"

Kingsley gave a deep sigh before answering. His eyes were ringed with dark circles, his forehead bearing fresh worry lines. If what Harry had told me was true, the aurors would be attacking Voldemort right this moment. And here Kingsley was, having to deal with us instead.

"There was a battle amongst the Death Eaters," he explained. "They began to turn on each other. I don't want to cast aspersions on your parents or their loyalties, but… they were involved. Both were hit with the killing curse."

"Is that all?" I asked glumly.

Daphne gasped. "Tori, our parents are-

"Dead," I snapped, "yes, I know. Nothing we do now can change it. I'm sure Kingsley has more pressing things to deal with, and I for one just want a decent meal and my own bed. Is that too much to ask?"

The room was silent for a moment. I couldn't help the anger and frustration that coursed through me. I'd simply had enough. It was time to retreat, and pray when I woke up in the morning that I would have the mental capacity to deal with this on top of everything else. Maybe it was the blood malediction weakening me, or maybe I was crumbling under the weight of everything regardless.

Kingsley inclined his head. "I will have somebody see you in the morning to talk through your parents' wishes. Again, you have my condolences."

"So we can go home?" Daphne sniffed.

"Your property in Wiltshire has been adequately protected. The alternative is our other ministry safe-house. We can take you there if you wish."

"I just want to go home," I said.

Like a zombie, I retreated to my bedroom in the familiar house. I couldn't listen to the owls hooting in the kitchen, obviously pleased we'd finally come home. I couldn't think about Draco being here, in this house, where we shared so many memories. I snuggled myself beneath my comforter, glad to finally receive something that felt like a hug, and closed my eyes.

In what felt like no time at all later, they snapped open again, as though I was instinctively waking up to a danger. But, instead of a dangerous scene to greet me, my eyes refocused onto a blonde witch wearing massive, multi-coloured spectacles.

"Oh, it's a bad infestation alright," she said in her dreamy voice. "Wrackspurts everywhere, just as I thought. You better get in here and see for yourself."

"Luna?" I asked groggily, pushing myself onto one elbow. "What are you-?

My sense of danger became clearer as Ginny Weasley entered the room. Her hand was clearly clutching her wand inside her jeans pocket, her eyes blazing and wild as she took me in. I jumped to life immediately, grabbing my own wand from atop my dresser, and narrowly dodging the flash of light she'd already sent my way.

But I was still hesitant from my fight with Daphne, and I focused all my thoughts on one spell: expelliarmus.

Harry would be proud, I thought, as Ginny slowly turned each of my pieces of furniture to rubble while I dodged the spells myself. She blasted things in a rhythm, her lips pressed tight together, and I quickly found a gap in her defenses. Her wand went flying from her hand but it did not stop her. Almost illogically, she charged straight at me.

I was so stuck in shock that she managed to tackle me back onto the bed, wrenching my wand from my hand and throwing it down to the floor. I tried to get up, but she clamped me down, pinning me almost effortlessly. I groaned against her, surprised by her strength.

"This isn't fair," I spat. "I'm weakened."

"By what?" she asked. "Life?"

I growled and tried to push her by the head, but she only tightened her grip. Finally, I thought to bring a knee up beneath her, and kicked with all my might against her torso. The force of it rolled her off, and I managed to gain the upper ground and pin her down.

"The movement's helping," Luna said, watching the whole thing from the doorway with her bizarre spectacles. "They're definitely unsettled."

Ginny's eyes narrowed, but no matter how hard she wiggled, I was not letting her break free. "I still owe you for that body-bind, Greengrass."

"Your betrayal was payment enough, Weasley."

"I didn't betray you. I had no idea Harry knew where we'd be."

It was enough my grip slackened, just a little, but she made no move to take advantage of it. Had Harry been telling the truth?

After not striking at all, Ginny struck hard at once. She brought her head up to smack against mine, and tried using the same leg move I had to dislodge her just moments before.

"No!" I shouted, refusing to relent. "Not this time, Weasley."

She stilled herself then, still panting from the exertion. "Am I finally seeing a bit of fight from you, Greengrass?"

"Watch it," I warned.

But, unexpectedly, her face broke out into a huge grin. "Well, that was easier than I thought. I didn't even have to use my drastic measures."

I gave a dumbfounded glance around the room. "Turning everything I own to rubble wasn't drastic enough?"

I let her get up from beneath me, and stayed kneeling on the bed while she repaired the room.

"You can't just give up like that, Tori," she said. "I'm serious. Another week of moping around like that, you'd have been dead."

"You're exaggerating," I said, though I bit my lip in concern.

"Am I? Ask your sister. She was about to send an owl to St. Mungo's and have them book you a room."

"What?" I couldn't believe I'd been that extreme. "I mean shit, Ginny, give me a break. I've been through a lot these past few weeks." I thought for a moment. "This past year."

"And you don't think we have?" she raised an eyebrow. "Do you have any idea the strain all of this has put on Harry, and therefore me? Luna's boyfriend, Rolf, is stuck in Asia with no way of getting home while Voldemort controls the ministry. People have died, Astoria. Your parents included."

"It's complicated with my parents," I said truthfully. "Honestly, I don't know how to feel. They disowned me. They told me everything I said about Marcus was a lie, and refused to believe I was ill."

"Clearly, you do know how to feel about them," Ginny reasoned, "so just let yourself feel it."

I nodded. Luna came close to me, and began to flap her hands around my head, using funny motions by my ears.

"And I know you'll be worried about Draco," she continued. "Don't forget, I'm the only other person who knows how you feel right now."

"What?" I turned to her in shock. "Did you and Harry… separate?"

"What? Of course not." She stared at me for a few moments. "Did… did he not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Ginny blinked. "Tori, he's gone with Harry to fight Voldemort."

I let out a nervous laugh. "No he hasn't. Draco would never join the Order."

"But he did, after he found out about his parents."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "No… they didn't die too?"

Ginny shook her head sadly. "They were caught up in the Death Eater duel. The others found out they were truly spying… they used the cruciatus curse on his mother. She almost lost her mind. Lucius managed to do some quick wand-work to get them out of there. I think it was enough for Draco to choose a side."

They both eyed me cautiously as I processed the information. I could see they were worried I would tap out again, but if anything, the shock of it all gave me even more clarity. My heart broke for Draco. I knew how much pain he would be feeling, how angry and hurt he would be. I needed to see him.

"We need to help them," I said, standing to my feet.

"It's not like last time," Ginny said quietly. "It's… I think Harry called it a covert operation. The muggles are in on it and everything. We can't interfere."

"And what if they die too, Ginny?" I asked. "How would you feel about interfering then? This is Voldemort we're talking about. I know they say it's not the same one, but the name's more than enough for me." I grasped my wand. "We can at least stay nearby, keep an eye out for trouble. I'm not going to just sit here. I can't, Ginny, I can't."

"Astoria, think about this," she pleaded. "You're under strict instructions not to even apparate at the moment. If it all goes wrong, somebody could be hurt trying to protect you." I could tell by her tone that somebody was implying Draco. "Harry knows what he's doing."

"It's not a bad idea," Luna cut in. Ginny turned to her with an exasperated expression. "Ginny, don't lie, you've been going out of your mind since Harry's been gone. We can set up camp nearby, so if anything goes wrong, we'll be on hand. I'm sure Hermione would come with us too."

"And you're not going without me," Daphne said from the doorway.

I didn't know how long she'd been standing there. But her loyalty meant the world. I rose to give her a tight hug, and she returned it.

"I'm so sorry, Daphne," I said.

"It's okay," she whispered. Then, to everyone, "so when do we leave?"

Ginny looked us each in turn. "Right now."


"Wands out," Harry warned as they approached the front door. "We don't know what protection he's set around the place."

Draco pulled his wand free. Frustratingly, it still wasn't working properly for him. He made a mental note to get a new one from Ollivander, if he ever got out of this alive.

"Lumos," he murmured, lighting his wand with the others.

"Ron's team are entering through the back," Harry explained. "So if you see anybody dressed like us, they're friendly."

"They won't be hard to miss in this get-up," Draco grumbled.

Harry gestured them forward. They moved further into the house, dark and decrepit looking, as though it hadn't been inhabited in years. Draco listened intently for a single footstep, or a whisper, but none came. Only the peeling wallpaper and lonely brass ornaments kept them company as they moved through the drawing room and into the kitchen. Harry had told them he expected Voldemort to be upstairs, but they needed to comb the lower floor first, just in case.

The hair on the back of Draco's head raised as they entered the kitchen. Something wasn't right here. He turned slowly as the door they'd used to enter creaked closed behind them. A dark figure emerged from the shadows, but as Draco raised his arm to attack, Harry clamped it firmly down.

"It's just Dean," he whispered.

Draco sneered as he then recognised the Gryffindor in the wand light, dressed in the same uniform as the rest of them. But something about him still caused Draco's senses to heighten as they made their way to the staircase.

The members of Ron's team joined them one by one, and with each, Draco grew more uneasy.

"Any trouble?" Harry whispered ahead.
"Not yet," Weasley replied, voice hushed. "Think I heard movement on the east side upstairs."

"We'll check there first."

Draco stayed tense as they took the stairs, one at a time. It was excruciating to be moving so slowly, so on edge with the threat of death less than a second away. He had to say something.

"Something doesn't feel right," he muttered to Harry.

Potter turned to reply, but Ron held up a hand for silence. Undoubtedly, there was a scurrying at the end of the narrow hallway ahead.

They moved more quickly now, heading for the last door of the hallway. Draco's breath hitched in his throat as the memories returned, stronger now than they had ever been in his nightmares. He was tempted to run from this house and flee. Potter was using him as bait, and worst of all, Draco was letting him.

No, said a voice in his head, a voice that sounded like Astoria. You can do this, Draco. Be brave.

They pushed open the door, and Harry broke into a run into the room. Draco and the others followed suit, converging in the centre of the large, wooden bedroom in a circle, back to back. They whipped around, trying to make sense of their surroundings. Though he wasn't there at first, he apparated before the fireplace with a loud crack.

Draco's mouth dropped in horror. The pale face with slits for nostrils, blood-red eyes and a maniacal grin…

Lord Voldemort had returned once more.