Author's Note: Hi everyone. Thank you for all your kind words of support! I'd like to clarify a few things. This story is technically AU, as I have made a few changes to the mechanics of Hogwarts post-war. All students who are of age (mainly the 8th years) can now freely apparate in and out of Hogwarts. Also, I am now in the recovery period of my surgery, so chapters will be posted somewhat slowly unless I get a sudden burst of energy/creativity. Please be patient and thank you again for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. I love you all!


Blaise was pacing anxiously as Hermione was studying on the sofa in their common room. Over the past week, when he and Hermione hadn't been stuck planning out the Winter Ball, he had been watching Draco very closely and wasn't happy with what he noticed. It was as if Draco was being watched by Theo and Pansy, but always denying it when questioned. He also noted that Draco would show up at breakfast looking like he hadn't gotten much sleep.

He noticed this morning that Draco received another note which made him uncomfortable. Neither he nor Hermione said anything, but she clearly noticed it as well. Draco just stuffed the note in his pocket and remained quiet for the rest of the meal.

"Enough pacing. What's on your mind?" Hermione asked, setting her book down and sitting upright.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I think we should look for Draco tonight. I have a bad feeling for some reason."

"You mean follow him? What if he's in bed?"

"Then we leave it alone. But if he's not in bed, then he might be in trouble," he explained, hoping she would agree to it. She sighed before answering.

"Let's check if Theo and Pansy are in bed too then." Being head boy and head girl had its advantages for being out of bed after hours.

"What time is it now?"

Blaise looked at the clock above the door. "It's about 9:30pm. Should we go now?"

She nodded. "Lead the way."

The two of them walked quietly to the Slytherin end of the castle, looking for other people out of bed on the way.

Blaise gave the password to the portrait and turned to Hermione. "Wait here. I'll go check if they're there."

The Slytherin common room was just how he remembered it. Dark sofas and silver furniture, and a small fire in the fireplace which someone had forogotten to put out. There was also a large Christmas tree in the corner since it was nearing the season quickly. The house elves had put a large tree with silver, green, gold, and red decorations up in their common room as well.

He made his way up the stairs to the boy's dorm and quietly checked each bed. Both Draco and Theo were missing, as predicted. Next, he went to the door of the girl's dormitory and knocked, hoping that someone would wake up and answer it.

A tired-looking Astoria Greengrass in a silky white nightgown opened the door, and squinted at him in the darkness for a moment until she realized who he was. "What is it, Zabini?"

"I was wondering if Pansy is here?" He said smoothly, hoping that she wouldn't ask too many questions. Astoria was a quiet girl, but it was the quiet ones you had to be careful of.

"Let me check." She retreated back into the dorm room for a minute and then came back. "She's not here. Should I give her a message when she comes back for you?"

"No that's alright. Thank you, Astoria. My apologies for waking you." He always felt awkward calling Slytherin girls by their last names, even though she used his. Even when everyone called him by his last name he would either say their first name or nothing at all.

Hermione was still waiting for him outside and looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

"All three are gone."

"I have something that might help," she said, pulling what looked like a map out of her robes. "Harry gave this to me before I left for Hogwarts, the Marauder's Map. It will show where everyone in the castle is."

Blaise raised an eyebrow at this. "Is that even allowed?"

She didn't respond, but instead muttered an incantation and sure enough the map turned into a sketch of Hogwarts in its entirety. They studied it together for a moment until Draco's name caught his eye.

"There," he said, pointing to the name. "Theo and Pansy are with him too. They're in the Forbidden Forest."

"Should we tell McGonagall?"

"Not yet. Let's just see what they're doing before we make any accusations." Although, being in the Forbidden Forest late at night was never a good sign unless you were serving detention. Blaise's mother always thought that having a dangerous forest next to a school was ridiculous. He had only been in it once, but he quite agreed with her.

They walked down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It looked just as creepy and haunting as he remembered it. Hermione didn't seem too bothered by it since she had been in it many times.

"I hope Draco is okay," she said quietly. He was a little surprised at her use of his first name, but nodded in agreement.

"Lead the way." She took out the map, cast lumos, and started walking towards Draco's location. He followed after her with his wand out, doing his best to ignore all the sounds around them. After what seemed like an eternity of walking through the darkness, he could see a small fire in the distance with three figures standing around it. Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled them behind some shrubs so that they could observe what was going on.

Theo was standing over what looked like a potions cauldron on the fire, carefully adding ingredients. Pansy was sitting on a log keeping watch around them for any sign of people. Luckily, Blaise had the sense to cast a disillusionment charm around them as they approached. Draco was holding a locket he had seen Theo putting his pocket a few times and looked angry.

"I don't want to do this anymore," Draco said.

Theo dropped the last ingredient into the pot with a loud splash. "How many times have we been over this, Malfoy? At least a hundred. You don't have any say in the matter. Besides, we're almost ready for the final stage."

"I want proof that she's really kidnapped."

"What more proof do you need? She's right there," Theo said tiredly.

Draco gave him a cold glare. "It's not enough. Not anymore."

"We can give you proof, Draco. But it will be extremely painful for her." Pansy said, standing up and taking the locket from him. Blaise noticed that the locket had a mirror in it. Perhaps a mirror portal? But who was kidnapped?

"Wait-" Draco began as Pansy pointed her wand at the mirror.

"Crucio." The sounds of Draco's mother's screams filled the air. Draco watched in horror as he saw his mother writhe against her chains.

"Stop!" He yelled, trying to get the locket from Pansy, but Theo held him by his shoulders.

Hermione gasped as she realized what was happening and wasted no time leaping from the shadows.

"Expelliarmus!" She yelled as Pansy's wand flew away from her hair, breaking the cruciatus curse instantly.

The three of them jumped in surprise as Hermione and Blaise came towards them, wands drawn. Theo quickly grabbed Draco.

"Zabini, how nice of you to join us," Theo drawled, taking out his wand and pointing it at Draco's neck. "Now I suggest you leave and forget you saw any of this."

Hermione grabbed Pansy and held her own wand against the girl's neck. "Don't do anything stupid, Theodore." Pansy looked disgusted at Hermione's touch but remained silent.

"It's Nott to you, filthy mudblood" He sneered in response. Blaise now had his wand pointed at Theo as the three of them stood still, waiting to see who would cast first.

"Tell us what's going on," Hermione demanded. Blaise noticed that Draco was looking between him and the potion on the fire.

"What's this?" Blaise asked, bending down to inspect whatever was brewing in the pot. Theo yanked Draco back and pressed the wand further into his neck.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you, Zabini." He warned. "This is a rather private matter and we don't need blood traitors involved."

Blaise ignored this advice and continued towards the potion.

"Take one more step and Draco's mother dies!" Pansy said.

Theo glared at her. "Be quiet, Pansy!" But it was too late. Upon hearing those words, Blaise forgot all about the potion and launched himself towards Draco and Theo. He wouldn't let Draco's mother die too. Not in the same horrible, unjust way his mother did.

Before Theo could react, Blaise punched him hard in the face, causing him to let go of Draco, who stumbled away clumsily.

Hermione cast a stupefy at Theo to knock him out before Blaise could do any more real damage and turned to Pansy. "You're going to tell us exactly what this potion is for and why you have Draco's mother."

"Or what, mudblood? You'll force it out of me? You don't have the guts for torture." Pansy lifted her head defiantly.

Draco, having lost his patience, grabbed her by the collar of her robes and yanked her to eye level. Hermione may not have had the guts for it, but in his enraged state, Draco certainly might. "Where. Is. My. Mother," he demanded in a dangerous tone.

Blaise put a calming hand on Draco's shoulder to try and stop him. "Mate, don't do anything that will get you in trouble. We'll handle this." He seemed to relax a bit but still kept a good grip on Pansy and never breaking eye-contact with the now shaking girl.

Pansy seemed to finally grasp how much trouble she was in. The fear in her eyes was evident. "They'll kill me if I say anything." She said finally.

"Who?" Blaise pressed.

"Draco and Theo's fathers," she confessed. Hermione looked confused.

"They're in Azkaban."

Pansy narrowed her eyes at her in response. "That's all you're getting from me."

"They've been forcing me to collect ingredients for a portion that repels dementors." Draco said from behind them. "We finished it tonight just as you arrived."

Just as he finished the explanation, there was a loud pop of apparition behind them.

"No," Blaise said as he turned, eyes wide.

Theo was gone. And so was the potion


Harry slowly opened his eyes from another restless sleep as he took in his surroundings once again. It was a medium sized room with only one small light overhead that flickered every few minutes. From what he could gather, it was a cellar in the basement of some house.

It had been months since he had been taken. Someone had broken through the wards of his apartment and knocked him out the muggle way before he had a chance to react with magic. When he woke up, he was without a wand and in shackles against the wall in this location.

Every day an old house elf would appear with two trays of simple food, a piece of bread and some water. One tray was for him. The other tray was for the other prisoner at the opposite end of the wall, Narcissa Malfoy.

Mrs. Malfoy hadn't talked to him since he had gotten there despite his futile efforts. He supposed she was charmed to not be able to speak on top of being very weak from the lack of nourishment they received.

Suddenly, she began screaming and convulsing as if in pain. A remote cruciatus curse, Harry realized.

Whatever this was, it wasn't good.