Harry Potter isn't mine.

Chapter 15 The Price of Freedom

Kat woke up in with a start in the middle of the night. She scanned the room to see all of her dormmates sleeping away. Sound didn't wake her up… For the first time in days, she felt… normal. Kat took a deep breath, something that had been hard to do ever since Malfoy figured out what was happening with his mum. Ever since then, she had been dying to tell him, at times leaving her with such shortness of breath that she could barely do anything. Now…

"Narcissa Malfoy is alive," she whispered, to no one in particular. The point was that she could say it. She could say the words without feeling like her throat was closing up or that she couldn't breathe. The curse was lifted.

Without thinking, Kat hopped out of bed as quietly as she could. She had to hurry before anyone woke up.

Draco was in a dead sleep. Blaise had returned around dinner time, refusing to tell a soul what had happened. He let his best friend be because everyone knew what had happened anyway. The only thing that really mattered was that Zabini had escaped to leave Blaise and his mother as suspected accomplices. The past two days' events made him want to sleep for about a hundred years. He probably barely got an hour in before someone jumped on him.

"What that?!" Draco turned the lamp on his nightstand to see Potter practically straddling him. Oh God…

"My curse is lifted!" she whispered urgently. "I can tell you everything!"

"What?" Draco rubbed his eyes and to his horror, saw that Potter wasn't wearing pants. Only a long t-shirt and hopefully underwear. "G-get off me!"

Draco didn't realize he was yelling until Professor Black appeared. Contrary to rumors, he wasn't wearing curlers. Just a murderous look on his face at the sight of Potter on top of Draco, in bed. Great.

"My office," he growled, "now."

After shoving Potter, Draco forced himself out of bed and glanced at Blaise who was pretending to be asleep but was stiff as a board. Coward. "Professor—"

"Another word and I'll make sure you're suspended," he snapped.

With every terrifying step, Draco became more alert as he processed what Potter said. She was able to tell him everything. He glanced over his shoulder at her to see she looked just as scared as he did. Black was going to kill him.

Draco had to stop himself from trembling when Professor Black locked the door behind him. Luckily, Regulus was there, rising up after his brother turned the lights on. He seemed to be sleeping on a couch. He raised his eyebrows at Potter and immediately looked away.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't throw you into the Lake," Black said once the door was locked. He was wearing a black t-shirt and had a peculiar tattoo on his arm. A male lion with blood dripping from its teeth. Underneath its paws, was a dead snake. The perfect tattoo for the Head of Slytherin House…

"Potter just appeared out of nowhere!" Draco exclaimed before he could stop himself. "I was dead asleep and—"

"How'd she break in?" Regulus said calmly. Thankfully, he seemed to believe him. "She'd need the password."

"Where's your pants?" Professor Black barked, ignoring the question. Regulus narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Uh…" Potter looked at the ceiling, as if that was where her pants were. "Its pretty hot in the Tower and well…" She smiled sheepishly when Black threw a cloak at her. "Thanks, Padfoot. Well, best be going…"

"Stop right there," Black yelled. Potter threw the cloak on and was already heading out. "What were you doing, Katherine Lily?"

Draco hoped she'd tell the truth. Even if Black didn't believe that his mother was alive, he'd at least believe that Potter believed what she was saying. Anything Draco would say would be dubbed a lie. But Potter was staring intently at Black's tattoo, seeming almost mesmerized by it. Of course, she had to make things ten times worse by saying, "Don't tell Ron."

"Excuse me?" Black seethed.

Potter shrugged. "Well, you know. A girl's gotta sow her wild oats."

"Did you even know what that means?" Draco yelled, well more like squeaked.

Before Black could skin him alive, Regulus jumped between them. "I've been watching them all school year. Potter's obsessed with him. Draco had nothing to do with this."

"Hey!" Potter was willing to lie and get him in trouble, but clearly not get herself in trouble.

"She even had August the other night," Regulus went on, "was following him around with the traitor in her pocket."

Black frowned, seeming torn. "Kat, I gave you the password in case you needed me. Not for…" He shuddered in disgusted. "Boys."

Potter glared at Draco but went along with it. "I'm growing up, Padfoot. You have to accept that."

"You're thirteen!" Black yelled at her. Draco just was wondering when he could escape.

"Almost fourteen…"

"Kat!" Black rubbed his eyes. "Did Mr. Malfoy know you were doing this?"

Potter looked at her feet, pretending to be ashamed. "Well no, but…"

"But nothing!" Black turned to Draco and Regulus. "Can you give us a moment?"

Draco was all too ready to agree and almost made a run for it as soon as Black unlocked the door. Regulus grabbed the back of his pajama shirt and dragged him back, putting a finger to his lips. With a flick of his wrist, there was a purple flash of light, and they could suddenly hear Black and Potter talking.

"… isn't a game," Black said. "What were you really doing, Kat?"

"I told you, Padfoot," Potter tried. "I was trying to get my freak on."

"I will not hesitate to vomit on you!" Black hissed. "I'm not telling your parents, but if you keep hanging around them, doing things like this, its going to draw attention. It's already drawing attention. Make up with Hermione and stay away from them. A lot of changes are coming."

"What do you mean?" Potter asked fearfully.

"Where do you think August went?" Black's voice dropped, even though he thought he had Silencing Charms up. "To go pick flowers in a meadow? He's going to come back. Molly Weasley is already discussing meeting again."

"Meeting for what?" Potter asked, voicing Draco's thoughts.

But Black would say no more. "No matter what you think, make up with your old friends. You'll thank me in the long run."

"But—"

"Go to back to bed," Black pushed. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Kat."

Regulus put the charms back up and signaled for them to flee. The last thing Draco heard was Potter grumbling about oats as she made to leave. Hopefully he'll get to talk to her about his mum soon.

Draco rushed back to his room. He needed to talk to Blaise and Pansy. Unfortunately, Blaise had been giving only one-word answers since he returned to the Common Room shortly after the lockdown had been lifted that night. This didn't stop Draco, however, from shaking him awake as soon as he entered their room. Not surprisingly, Blaise was awake.

"I don't want to know," he said tiredly.

Draco rolled his eyes and swore at what his friend was implying. "Thanks for helping!"

Blaise yawned and opened his eyes. "So Black could accuse us of tag teaming Potter?"

"That's disgusting." And probably what Black would have accused, although not in those words. Draco turned the light on with his wand and motioned for Blaise to get up. "I'm going to wake up Pansy."

Pansy shared a room with Millicent Bulstrode, who luckily, could sleep like the dead. Not that it mattered anyway. She was the type to generally mind her own business when it mattered. They had a signal. Draco would knock twice in succession and then wait exactly seven seconds before lightly kicking the bottom of the door. Pansy would show that she heard by complaining to herself about a draft. Then, she would head to Draco and Blaise's room five minutes later.

"What could possibly be going on now?" she asked, rubbing her eyes as she shut the door behind her.

"Draco boned Potter and wants to tell us all about it," Blaise informed her, not missing a beat as usual.

"What?!"

Draco shook his head. Of course, Blaise would say that. He must be feeling more like himself now that Draco was the subject of interest and not him. "No! Potter's curse has been lifted!"

He was met with silence. In his mind, starting with what they did believe would be the best approach, but he still had a feeling that they wouldn't believe him. Blaise didn't even believe that the curse lifted.

"How?" he asked suspiciously. "All I heard was you yelling at her. Smooth by the way."

"She didn't say." Because she didn't have time with Black storming in. How could she possibly think jumping on him like that was a good idea? She could have simply shaken his shoulder or something. He would have been alarmed but not freaking out. "I think she was excited."

"Oh I'm sure," Blaise said dryly.

"Blaise!" Draco sighed in exasperation. It wasn't his fault that she was an overemotional Gryffindor. "Listen. I learned why she was cursed too. I saw it when we were attacked by all those Dementors."

Draco proceeded to tell his friends everything. He started with the background, being able to see Potter's visions during the Quidditch match, and Potter being able to see some of his. Then, he said what happened that night, what he saw. His mother, alive and held captive by the Grangers. As his story concluded, the nervous looks Pansy was giving Blaise increased as his other friend's frown deepened. They didn't believe him.

"Draco," Pansy said slowly, "she died. In the fire."

"Or," he said, "the fire was used to cover up the fact that there wasn't a body." They couldn't convince him that she wasn't alive. He saw her. "Why would Potter just make it up? And how else would I see such a detailed memory when she was stunned and unconscious?"

"It's very easy to create false memories," Blaise argued. "What if it's part of her curse? It made her hallucinate."

"Look, I didn't awake you guys up to argue with you." If he didn't think they were going to help him, he wouldn't have even bothered to talk to them. Perhaps he should have spoken to Regulus first. His godfather was in no position to deny the unbelievable. "I wanted to talk to you guys about how we're going to save her."

Pansy and Blaise shared a look. Of course, they would only agree when they decided that Draco was out of his bloody mind. Any other subject and they'd be fighting like cats and dogs, making Draco have to settle it. Even if there was a one in a million chance that his mother was alive, he'd have to do everything he could to try to save her.

"You want us to break into Granger Manor." Pansy's eyes became huge at the thought. "If we get caught…"

"We'd better hope they chose to call the authorities," Blaise said darkly.

"I didn't say that necessarily," Draco mumbled. The Granger's were considered heroes of the medical world. People wouldn't be likely to believe them. The only ones he knew that would be Professor Riddle and maybe Regulus. If anyone would do this, it was Professor Riddle. "Professor—"

"We have to talk to Potter first," Blaise cut in. "She'll know all we need to know. And I want to hear her story myself to see if she's lying."

Pansy nodded. "As much of a raging bitch she is, I don't think she'd want your mum suffering like that. We'll talk to her in the morning?"

Draco didn't want to wait until morning, but his friends were right. He had no idea where Granger Manor was, how to get in, and where his parents would be. For all he knew, the Grangers had more than one property. They were certainly wealthy enough. "Fine."

Regulus knew he had to tell Professor Riddle everything he heard Sirius say to Katherine Potter. The only problem was leaving the Dungeons. It was dark, the perfect place for Dementors to hide. No one was around, leaving the opportunity for the aurors to snatch him and drag him off to Azkaban. Could the Common Room fireplace be intercepted?

He stood at the threshold of the Dungeons, waiting for the courage to come. The office was safe. Sirius usually knocked ever since Regulus started locking the door after the Lily Potter incident. No student dared to come within spitting distance of it. He was safe in there. He just wanted to feel safe…

After taking a deep breath, Regulus pushed himself to take one step out of the Dungeons. His pounding heart was begging him to turn around, but he tried to walk faster. Professor Riddle would surely show him how to floo to the Dungeons Common Room from his quarters. Hopefully Sirius would be out of his office by then.

Draco was the only reason he was making this terrifying trip. If he was going to be taking care of his godson, he was going to have to be brave. Narcissa and Lucius would expect it of him. The password was asparagus. Professor Riddle had told him upon his release from Ministry custody, but Regulus had yet to use it.

When he entered, he quickly tried to back away, but Professor Riddle already saw him. Sirius was there, probably complaining about Draco when it was himself who gave his goddaughter access to the Dungeons. He raised his eyebrows at the sight of his little brother.

"As I was saying," Sirius continued, "I have no idea why she really went down there… Not sure if I should tell James or not. She'd fully expect me to."

"No," Professor Riddle said as he motioned Regulus to join them. "Wait and see if she reveals more. She must have been in the middle of telling Draco something important. You should have eavesdropped instead of barging in like an animal."

"Kat was on top of him!" Sirius whined. "In his bed!"

"What's going on?" From what Regulus had heard from the students, Sirius and Professor Riddle could barely tolerate each other. They wondered why Professor Riddle kept him around. Regulus wondered how Sirius managed to be Head of Slytherin House without even being a Slytherin alum.

Sirius looked at his feet. "Too many people died last time, Reg. I may not have liked all of them but… that didn't mean they needed to die. And it's my fault Snape…"

"Yeah, it is," Regulus couldn't resist snapping. Sirius tricked Severus into finding Lupin during the full moon.

"How is Remus by the way?" Sirius sounded desperate. Frankly, Regulus was astounded that the werewolf was alive.

Regulus glanced at Professor Riddle, who looked grim. "He pretends to be catatonic when wizard guards are around to take him away for the full moon. I've only spoken to him a few times and only because he thinks I'm you."

"What does he say?" Sirius asked. He was reminding Regulus of a hungry dog with a chicken leg in front of his face.

Regulus shrugged like it was no big deal. "He wants me, well you, to help him make a map to get out of there. Says he misses books and hot chocolate. And then…" He shivered. And then the Dementors descended on them. "Listen, Sirius, he's not all there. Anyway, I was here to talk about Draco. I thought—What are you a spy or something?"

"No," he grumbled, pushing past him. "Just your run of the mill prissy asshole."

Professor Riddle waited until Sirius was out of earshot to speak. "He is. Although I don't trust him when it comes to his friends or Katherine."

"But…" I wouldn't trust him at all. Regulus couldn't even count the number of times Sirius had pretended to be kind to him as a kid only to pelt him with dungbombs or find another way to humiliate him, usually in front of a group of girls at the very least, the entire school at the very most. As much as Sirius had done for him in the past few days, he couldn't forget what he had done when they were kids.

Professor Riddle smiled sadly, sensing his thoughts. "People grow up, Regulus. They change and grow to understand the sins they had committed. They can't change it and can only try to do better."

Regulus shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "Sir, you are making a grave mistake."

Professor Riddle held up a hand to silence him. "But that is not what you are here to talk about. Did Draco give you any insight on the nights events?"

"No." Regulus felt like a chastised child. Who knew Sirius better than him?

But Professor Riddle clearly wasn't one to hold a grudge. "Perhaps you could talk to him. I fear I may be rather busy tomorrow…"

Regulus nodded, knowing that he was dismissed. Rather pathetically, he asked for access to Professor Riddle's floo. Without a mission in mind, he didn't know if he could handle the dark, almost silent trip back to the Dungeons. He could hear teenage Sirius laughing at him if he managed to get frightened by a Hufflepuff prefect. Thankfully, Professor Riddle didn't seem to bothered by it. Regulus just needed some sleep…

Kat woke up to a high-pitched whimpering noise. As it started to escalate to a cry, she realized it was Hermione. Kat rubbed her eyes, blinking until she could focus and see Hermione roughly pushing Lavender Brown away from her. Parvati was in the background, biting her nails and looking lost.

"What happened?" she asked as adrenaline started pumping through her. She almost wanted to run, although she didn't know why.

"Like you would care!" Hermione roared as she started crying hysterically.

Lavender, who was always blunt despite people's feelings, carelessly filled Kat in on the gossip. "Hermione's dad killed himself last night."

"HE WOULDN'T!" she sobbed. Kat's heart sunk. She didn't think he would either.

"I-I'm sorry, Hermione," Kat said quietly.

Grief flared in Hermione like a wild flame, causing her to round on Kat. She shot off her bed a took a step towards her. "Like you were care! You're probably happy! Can't wait to get my mum in trouble, can you?"

"I do care," Kat said slowly. This was like a nightmare. As angry and resentful as she was towards the Grangers, she never wanted something like this to happen. "I-I'm your friend, Hermione. And… and even though we had a rough year, I would never want something like this to happen to you."

Hermione regarded her with hateful, tear filled eyes. "Yeah right."

"No, I mean it," Kat pressed. Then, thinking of Sirius, she forced herself to say, "And I'm sorry. For everything that happened this past year. I was afraid, but…" She swallowed at the lump in her throat. "There was no excuse for me acting like our friendship wasn't important."

She doubted that Hermione believed her, but her friend was grief stricken, and therefore, didn't have her usual wits about her. She needed a friend, and Kat was there apologizing and wanting to make amends. Kat felt dirty when Hermione hugged her.

"Hey, I—" Regulus wanted to talk to Draco first thing in the morning. He would catch him right before breakfast and get more of an insight as to what the hell happened last night. Sirius, of course, acted like last night never happened, but he wasn't the one to drag him away from Draco.

"We're meeting with the Minister this morning," his lawyer, Rita Skeeter, informed him. His godson raised his eyebrows at the flashy woman who sunk her talon-like nails into Regulus's shoulder. She smiled at him to reveal a diamond in one of her front teeth. "We'll just be a few hours."

"Hours?!" Regulus yelped as he was ushered out of the Dungeons and to the headmaster's office. His heart started to pound as they passed student after student pointed and whispered. Every step took an excoriating amount of effort. He was heading to speak with the Minster and probably other officials, the very people he had been avoiding for months. They couldn't change their mind about his innocence, could they?

"'Ello, Minister." Rita held out her hand for Fudge to shake, analyzing his every move as he hesitantly did so. "Ready to make a settlement?"

Regulus couldn't bring himself to take the Minister's hand. Luckily, it wasn't offered. Professor Riddle frowned from his desk and gestured to a long table for them to talk at. Out of the corner of his eye, Regulus recognized Arthur Weasley and Dolores Umbridge.

"Yes, this will be quick," Umbridge said sweetly.

"Don't sugarcoat this Dolores," Weasley drawled. "It will be as long as it has to be."

"Let's sit down," Fudge said. He seemed to not be very interested in either of their opinions. However, like Regulus, he clearly wanted to get this over with. As they sat (Regulus as far away as possible), the Minister of Magic pulled some paperwork out of his briefcase and transfigured an old paperweight into an ink bottle and several quills. "What we've decided is one hundred thousand galleons and to reinstate you power of attorney in Lucius's and Narcissa's will."

Regulus, eager to seclude himself back in the Dungeons, reached for the quill and yelped when Rita slapped his hand away. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance, but not at him. "So you're giving him chump change and putting him in charge of money the Malfoys left to Draco?"

"C-chump change?" Fudge spluttered. "One hundred thousand galleons is hardly chump change!"

"Not to mention we aren't making him go through a trial," Weasley grumbled. "The people have a right to know what really happened."

"Oh, they will," Rita said coolly. "And when they do, they will be shocked to learn that you gave Regulus so little. We have grounds to sue the Ministry, and you know it. One million, immediate custody of the boy, and access to a Ministry healer to aide in his recovery."

Weasley glanced at Fudge and decided to take charge since his superior was gaping like a fish. "Two hundred and fifty thousand."

"Don't think we don't know about your plans to conduct an investigation on Regulus." What?! Rita smiled. "Trying to make it seem like he was still somehow involved, aren't you? Well, Regulus is not Severus and certainly isn't August. Imagine how the press would react to an anonymous tip of about your future smear campaign of the man you wrongfully imprisoned."

Fudge went white as Regulus clenched his fists, trying not to flee. They were trying to find a way to send him back. They wanted to send him back to make themselves look good, or at least, less bad.

"How did you know that?" Umbridge asked quietly.

Rita didn't answer. "Five hundred thousand galleons, the boy, the healer, and drop the investigation. I have a document that will grant Regulus time served for any crimes you decide to discover in the upcoming years."

Weasley opened his mouth to argue, but Fudge beat him to it. It would be a shitshow if something like this came out prematurely, and he knew it. "Deal."

At breakfast, everyone was whispering about what happened to Granger's father, curtesy of Lavender Brown who was eager to tell everyone everything she knew. Now they knew why Potter's curse was broken. And now Potter was back to sitting with Granger and Weasley, going over a thick textbook with Granger to probably keep her mind off things. Draco couldn't stop staring.

"I'm beginning to understand the Muggle phrase Captain Obvious," Blaise drawled. When Draco ignored him, he nudged him under the table with his knee. "Stop staring before they notice."

"But she said…"

"She obviously was lying, Draco." Pansy, like Blaise, refused to look at the Gryffindor table. "About everything. Just to mess with you. And it's working."

Before Draco could respond, Granger looked up at him and caught his eye. She didn't appear as grief stricken as she had just moments ago. In fact, she smiled at him, looking both evil and triumphant. Draco almost shot out of his seat, but Blaise was quick to gauge his reaction and grabbed his sleeve to hold him in place.

"I have something to tell you two." He clearly didn't want to either. Draco was sure it was just to keep his attention, so he wouldn't lose it and hex Granger into the oblivion. "My mum's at St. Mungo's to try to sort out… They're still trying to diagnose her. They're thinking she might have Bipolar Disorder."

Pansy looked up from her breakfast, crestfallen. "I'm so sorry—"

"Anyway." Blaise wasn't one for pity or any attention for that matter. "She's probably going to be there long term, and because of what happened… Well, the Ministry's had to decide where I'm going to stay for the summer."

Pansy looked fearful while Draco perked up. He hadn't noticed that Blaise said had to decide, not has to. "You could stay with me and Regulus!"

Blaise shook his head. "I'm staying with the Weasleys."

"Hey."

Ever since her dad wrote to her the other day, Kat knew she'd have to cross paths with the ham-fisted Daphne Greengrass one way or another. The girl was no Millicent Bulstrode though. In fact, she looked just as dainty as her sister, but man could she pack a punch.

"Oh hey. How's it going?" Kat said lightly. Potions in a few minutes was going to be just great. Almost as great as the time a wasp got stuck in her hair.

Since she tried to keep walking, Daphne blocked her path. "We're going to be staying with you this summer."

Kat stared at her for a moment. Dad said only Astoria was, but clearly, Daphne's overprotectiveness of her knew no bounds, and she invited herself. "Yes. Dad says we can have an ice cream party to celebrate. I hope he remembers the chopped nuts because last time—"

"Lay one finger on my sister, and I'll be there," she threatened. "Ready to break all those pudgy little stumps you call digits."

Kat held her hands in front of her face and pretended to inspect them. "Huh. Well. Okay. See you then."

"Hey!" Daphne grabbed her arm as Kat tried to walk past her.

"Is she bothering you, Kat?" Hermione appeared out of nowhere, smiling with an excited look in her eyes. Ginny, who had a class on the other side of the castle, was right behind her and cracking her knuckles.

"No. We were just snogging." Kat barely noticed that Daphne turned pink and immediately let go of her arm. She said it to get Ginny flustered.

"Oh." Hermione took a step closer to them and took out her wand. "Because if she was…"

Ginny was one for fights, not threats and immediately jumped Daphne. The other girl fought back without screaming as Hermione lazily cut her hair to shreds with a few jinxes. When on hit her check and sliced it open, she said, "Oops…"

Kat closed her eyes. She couldn't stop them both, and Sirius said she had to make up with them. And she did. If she was going to get Narcissa out of Granger Manor, she had to make up with Hermione to get access to her floo again. With a heavy heart, she raised her foot to kick Daphne in the head.

Thank Merlin the bell rang before she could…

Draco didn't know what to think as he sat down and waited for Professor Black to show up to one of their last Potions classes of the year. The past few days were still sluggishly being processed. Granger strutted in, looking haughty as Potter slunk in and seemed teary eyed when she sat next to him. Daphne was the last student to show up with a bleeding cheek and her hair left in tatters. Professor Black, of course, was the last to show up to his own class, at least five minutes late as usual.

"Today we're going to review before finals," Black announced. He glanced at Daphne and then went on talking as if he didn't see anything. "Because apparently some of you aren't responsible enough to do so on your own."

Black started droning on and on, reading straight from the textbook and reminding Draco of one of those college professors that Dora often complained about. Soon enough the ones that probably needed the review were dozing off. Granger was taking notes, probably for the snoring Ronald Weasley.

"I can't wait to get on the train," Potter whispered. "I plan to eat loads of sweets. I'll probably have to take a huge dump by noon."

"You're…" She was saying that she wanted to meet him on the train in the bathroom at noon. Who ever thought Potter could be clever? She still wanted to help him. Draco did his best to remain disgusted. "You're disgusting."

"Don't tell me you've never pooped before," Potter snapped. "Or maybe you haven't since you have a stick so far shoved up your ass."

Pansy turned around, not caring what was going on or whose side Potter was on. She would always hate her. "You smell like shit. You look like shit. Hell, I bet you even taste like—"

"Detention, Miss Parkinson," Professor Black said, not even looking up from his textbook. Potter smirked, and so did Granger. For once, Draco couldn't wait until the last day of school.

Molly called a Coven Meeting. As soon as Lily apparated at their old meeting place in the forest, she noted that there was not a man in sight. Molly, Jean, Alice, Hestia, Marlene… Not even Arthur was here. Lily sat next to Jean.

"How'd it go with Hermione?" she asked softly, sounding comforting and worried. Jean was one of her best friends after all. More women started apparating in as Jean blew her nose and started sobbing. Lily put an arm around her shoulder.

"I couldn't bear it!" she cried. "Like a coward, I had McGonagall tell her!"

Lily rubbed her back and shushed her. "All you can do is try to be there for her now."

"Are we ready?" Molly Weasley said sweetly after giving Jean a sympathetic glance. Everyone quieted down, and Lily wondered what this is about. If it was simply about August Zabini's escape, the men would be here too. "It seems we have an opportunity on our hands…"

"An opportunity?" Hestia whispered. "August is going to bring Him back, and He's going to wonder why we haven't tried at all during the past decade. He's going to slaughter us!"

Molly Weasley held up a hand to silence her. "For too long, we were considered weaker than our husbands or only good for more…" She smiled at Lily. "…delicate missions. But we can change that.

"We can help August," she went on. "The timing is so perfect. Lily and Hestia are getting divorced. Alice and Jean are widowed." Jean sobbed loudly, and Alice put a hand over hears. "We can show the Dark Lord what we're capable of when we're not under their thumb. He will see that we are the most powerful and loyal of his servants."

"And what of Arthur?" Lily asked.

Molly smiled. She was head over heels in love with her husband, but he also did whatever she said. She said jump; he said how high? "And what of him?"

"Where does he fit into all of this?" Lily said slowly.

Molly shrugged like her beloved husband was an afterthought. "He'll do damage control at the Ministry for us. We have a lot to do in the upcoming months."

"And I want to kill that bitch Petunia!" Jean shrieked, uncharacteristically hysterical. "I bet she killed my William! She knows we have Marjorie Dursley and wanted revenge! That fat cow is helping us cure lycanthropy!"

"Calm down," Molly said sweetly, sounding like she was talking to a tantruming toddler and not a grieving woman. Jean started crying again when she realized there was no longer an "us," only her. Lily wondered if Jean suspected her at all. She wouldn't show it, but she had to have some idea. She would have to keep pushing the lie that she and James weren't really talking, and she wasn't bothering to visit him now that he was clearly going to recover.

Hestia ignored the hysterics, more focused on the task at hand. "Are you in contact with August? What are we to do first?"

"We will be," Molly said. "Arthur has secured custody of his boy for the summer. He'll want to find him since Circe is out of commission. We'll make sure to make Blaise see the light... For now, we'll focus on more immediate issues. There's the matter of dear Sirius."

Hestia smirked at the mention of her ex-husband. "He's obviously a traitor." She sounded a bit too eager when she added, "Let's kill him!"

"He knows too many secrets!" Marlene hissed. She was one of Sirius's Hogwarts girlfriends. Apparently, he left a lot of bitter women in his wake. Pathetic.

"On both sides," Lily reminded them. "Sirius has always let guilty eat away at him. Riddle probably trusts him completely because of it. If we get him back, we'll know what Professor Riddle has been saying to him, and if he spies on Riddle for us, we'll have easy access to the boy when he's not at Hogwarts."

"And how are we going to do that?" Alice asked rudely, thinking Lily didn't have an answer.

Lily grinned. She had the perfect plan. "It's going to be too easy."

Once she told them, everyone agreed. Their plan would take time, but Sirius was going to be the Coven's most loyal servant.

Thank you for the review gr8rockstarrox, myafroatemydog, and Freya16!

Any ideas what Lily's planning?

Also, I realized I never mentioned Draco's scar! Do you think it should still be a lightning bolt or something else?