A splitting headache penetrated her mind as she awoke. She was sprawled across the armchair, Remus' body trapped underneath her's. His arms were wrapped around her stomach and his head was buried in the crook of her neck. She groaned inwardly. What the hell had happened last night?

She rubbed her face and shuddered as a wave of nausea overcame her. She untangled herself from Remus' arms and raced to the bathroom, retching as she reached the toilet bowl.

She cringed as the first hazy memories returned. She remembered the heated kiss she had shared with him and the way they had struggled to catch their breath.

"Night, Tonks."

She groaned and threw up.

Remus had been so inebriated, that he had mistaken her for his deceased wife, Tonks. He wasn't over her. Of course, he bloody wasn't. She was the mother of his son. But it hurt. It hurt to recognise that she didn't stand a chance with him. She had unintentionally developed feelings for him and she realised with a jolt that she had been careless enough to blurt them out.

"Love you, Remus."

Merlin, what had she done? She wasn't meant to feel that way around him! Nor was she supposed to fantasize about Sirius, she gently reminded herself.

Another wave of queasiness rolled over her, as an overwhelming mixture of emotions stirred up in her.

She heard Remus clear his throat behind her.

"Remus, please go away. I don't want you to see me like this." She moaned. He ignored her request and kneeled down beside her, rubbing her back as she shuddered, unsure of whether she would throw up again.

"How are you feeling after last night?" He asked benevolently, his eyes solemn. She shook her head, as tears welled in her eyes.

"Well, one of my best friends is still dead and I'm pretty sure it was Lucius Malfoy who assassinated him-"

Remus froze.

"You think Lucius murdered Ron?" He asked doubtfully.

She shrugged then nodded, the pressure of the situation draining her already spare energy.

"And to top it all off, the man I love won't ever love me." She mumbled so low that he couldn't hear, after all, she didn't want to weigh him down with her self pity. She pushed herself away from toilet and headed to the sink to rinse her mouth.

"Hermione?" Remus said quietly.

She gave him a reserved glance as she gurgled cold water in the back of her throat.

"Yeah?" She replied stiffly.

"I'm here to support you. Ron's death will be avenged." His voice spoke softly and threateningly. But she knew that the threat wasn't aimed at her.

"Good."

And then she strolled out of the small lavatory and down the narrow staircase, into the kitchen. Remus' words had given her strength and she felt ready. Ready to make sure Ron hadn't died in vain.

"Wait. Why do you think Lucius killed Ron?" Sirius asked bluntly as she proposed her theory. They had just had dinner and she could almost feel the dangerous fire blazing in each of their chests. They had pushed their grief aside, it wouldn't help Ron, now would it? Instead, they sat at the wooden table, trying to think of what to do next. Harry was subdued as they talked, but at least he didn't walk out like the days before when the subject of Ron had been approached.

"It's obvious. In that deluded mind of his, he's decided that he wants to finish the task Voldemort started." Hermione hissed her eyes gleaming with a lust that Sirius had never seen before. Bloodlust?

"He wants to prove that he's more powerful than Voldemort ever was." Remus sighed, his head falling into his hands as he entertained this unpleasant thought.

"Guys!" Harry snarled abruptly. They looked to him, he was standing and his hands were trembling.

"We have no proof that the Malfoys have anything to do with this!" He yelled. Hermione bit her lip as she deliberated this essential fact.

"Ok, fine. But we will. I'm going to interrogate Draco tomorrow. He'll cooperate, after all, he's publicly disowned his family. Maybe he'll help us." She responded thoughtfully. Sirius nodded enthusiastically, a child-like excitement entering his eyes. Even though the entire situation was beyond dreadful, he felt fulfilled as he realised that this was going to be a group effort.

"He's not going to betray his father. If his father even has anything to do with this. For Merlin's sake, Hermione, why would Lucius kill Ron?" Harry shouted exasperatedly. She ignored his resentment and took hold of his hands squeezing gently. Harry unwound ever so slightly.

"Because he wants to damage you. He wants to be the man to finally kill the boy who lived." She whispered. Harry leant back in his chair, not ready to accept her accusation.

"The man's deranged. He was tortured by Tom Riddle and his family was slandered. But now he's found a purpose. And he won't have any difficulty finding followers. I hate to say it Harry, but not everyone is pleased with the fact that Voldemort was killed." Sirius added.

"Hermione, you question Draco tomorrow and do some digging. Then when you've found enough proof, you can arrest him. For Merlin's sake, isn't this why you became Aurors?" Remus concluded his voice tinged with irritation. A wave of vicious anger flared up in Harry's forest green eyes.

"I did not plan on having to find my best friend's murderer, Remus! I thought I was done with avenging the people I cared about!"

Sirius pulled Harry back down and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"But now that's exactly what you have to do. Harry, the war is never over. Buck up, Hermione needs you." Sirius murmured in his ear.

Lucius' POV

"Ronald Weasley is dead." He seethes, as he looks across the room. His cold wife, Narcissa, looks up at him, her eyes distant and cool. The Carrow's are staring back at him, their faces eager as they await his next piece of information. Wormtail sits knelt down beside him, head bowed in admiration, or is it perhaps fear?

Lucius feels alive as he gazes down at his followers. Gone is his lank blond hair, shaved so that he no longer replicates who he was before. He serves no one but himself. His eyes seem to have lost even more of their colour, his irises almost diluting to a greyish white. His face is thinner but his body is stronger, as is his mind. The dark mark has been cut out of his arm, leaving a puckered scar. He serves no-one, he recites once more.

"We're one step closer to killing the boy who lived and any other wizard, half-blood or mudblood that dares defy us!" He roars raising his arms, eliciting a deep cheer from his admirers.

"But, Lucius, not even the Dark Lord managed to end the boy's life." A hoarse voice murmurs from the onlookers. His gaze narrows as he picks out one of his newest recruits. Pansy Parkinson. He chuckles dangerously and steps down from his podium. The crowd parts as he takes in the young woman's nervous form. Then his face leans in, his lips barely brushing her ear.

"The 'Dark Lord", he begins softly, "was a fool!" Finishing with a roar. She shakes uncontrollably as he steps away.

"Lord Voldemort was a pathetic being. Incapable of killing a child in its crib! He disappointed us all and was incapable of fulfilling his promises. The Dark Lord is dead and will go down in history as a joke!" He called, smiling as the crowd started to titter nervously.

"I, however, swear by my already cursed soul, that I will end Harry Potter's life once and for all, and cleanse the wizarding world of the scum, also known as mudbloods." He yells, his dead eyes are ablaze.

"And how do you propose we get rid of 'em?" He hears Scabior's nasal voice inquire. With a shake of the head and a patronising smile, he turns toward the Snatcher.

"I propose we slaughter the entire muggle population until the world subsists entirely of purebloods." He hisses. Scabior swallows, quickly averting his gaze.

"All hail Lucius!" A voice suddenly cries, and the phrase is quickly chorused by the rest of the following. Lucius grins and beckons to Narcissa to join him. Her heels clack over the roar of the audience, as she steps towards him. Her slim body is encased in a beautiful raven dress and her hair tied into an intricate knot, revealing her stunning, lean face. He grabs hold of her head and crushes his lips against hers for all to see. The shouts of his followers increase in volume, and he smirks as he pushes her away from him. His eyes can't help but notice the painfully empty spot beside him, where his son, Draco, used to stand.