A/N: I'm back with an update! Finally, after more than one year, I finally have an update. I really apologize for the super long delay. School demands most of my attention, as always, and another thing is that I've grown out of the fandom and HP in general. But I'll still try my very best to finish this fic, because I really don't like leaving things undone. Just don't expect a consistent update, though. That's pretty hard to do for me now.

Anyway folks, here's chapter 13. Enjoy reading and don't forget to review because reviews are love! XD

When Blaise got back to the Malfoy Manor, he found Draco in the exact same place where he had left him, but although he didn't look as wasted as he did earlier, he still had the same distant expression. 'This is one strong déjà vu, alright,' Blaise sighed. This scene brought back memories that he had kept at the back of his mind, memories he'd rather forget.

14 years ago…

"Morning, old chap," a 17-year old Blaise entered the dining room of the Malfoy Manor with a slight skip. Clutched in his hand is the day's issue of the Daily Prophet with the headline: 'DARK LORD DEFEATED! POTTER GIVEN THE HIGHEST HONOR KNOWN TO WIZARDING KIND!' Taking a seat near the head of the table, where Draco was seated, he helped himself to the tea served by a house elf. "Potter really did it. I still can't believe it, the Dark Lord's dead! It's so unreal-" He paused when he noticed that Draco wasn't listening to him, but staring into space instead.

"Hello? Draco, I don't appreciate being ignored, you know! Are you really awake? You look half-dead… Draco! It's like talking to thin air, honestly. Are you just gonna sit there or are you gonna start-"

Draco looked up to meet his eyes and Blaise immediately stopped his tirade.

"Bloody hell… I'm sorry, Drake. I forgot all about your mother and… I'm sorry."

"I don't know what to do, Blaise. I looked for her everywhere, asked everyone, but I can't find her."

Blaise narrowed his eyes; Draco's voice matched the expression in his eyes – distant and hollow.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's Pansy… She's gone."

Blaise gave out another sigh. That had just been the start of Draco's depression, and if it hadn't been for Gaea, he might never have pulled himself out of it. And now, with this happening, Blaise doesn't know how Draco's going to cope until his children are ready to talk to him.

"Blaise, did you find them?"

Draco's hollow voice seemed to reverberate throughout the room. Blaise inhaled deeply before speaking.

"Yes, I did. They're in Hogwarts. They'll be safe there, I'm sure, so you don't have to worry about them too much."

"Thanks," Draco said. "Really, thanks for everything, Blaise."

"They told me to tell you a few things, by the way," Blaise said.

"What did they say?"

"I've already told you what Hades wanted to tell you, that they're safe in Hogwarts. Poseidon wanted you to know that they're not angry with you; they're just disappointed with you. Artemis said that they're not yet ready to see you or talk to you at the moment, and she's asking you to give them time to recover and think. And as for Apollo…"

Blaise hesitated to continue. He wasn't sure if Draco was ready to hear it in his state. Draco, on the other hand, expected that the bluntest message would come from Apollo and waited for him to continue.

"Well, Apollo said, and I quote, 'Tell him to be careful with the people around him. Tell him he should know where they're coming from first before doing something stupid like marrying them. They might just stab him in the back or something.'"

Blaise eyed Draco warily after he spoke. He was afraid that Draco might suddenly start hurling whatever his hand could grab in frustration. But he was surprised when Draco's mood suddenly shifted from sullen to pensive. Draco was staring into space again, eyes narrowed as if analyzing something.

"Draco?"

"I am so stupid," Draco suddenly said, raking a hand through his hair. "So that's what they're trying to do. Fuck, how stupid can I get?"

"What are you talking about?"

"They're trying to tell me something. They've been dropping hints all this time, and yet here I was, the blind idiot that I am, not noticing a single thing!"

"Hinting you about what, exactly?"

"It's about Serena, I'm sure of it. What it's exactly about, that I don't know, but I will find out."

"You're going to investigate your own fiancée behind her back?"

"You know, there's always a reason why my children didn't like the girls I dated before, and I'm sure Serena's case is no different. I'd do anything to make it up to them. Absolutely anything."

"Poseidon! Poseidon, get you arse down here right now! Poseidon!"

Apollo's voice rang throughout the entire dormitory. The students in the Common Room looked at him incredulously, but he paid them no attention and continued shouting. A few moments later, Poseidon and Hades descended from the staircase with their brows knit together in annoyance.

"Did you really have to shout? Wake up the entire school, why don't you?" Poseidon snapped.

"What are you on about anyway? Is it so important that you have to disturb everyone here?" Hades added.

"Of course it's important. But we can't talk here," Apollo said, eyeing the other people in the room. "Let's go upstairs."

"Then what was the point of calling us downstairs?" Poseidon asked, irritation obvious in his voice.

Apollo gave out a nervous chuckle. "I was caught up in the moment, perhaps?"

"Whatever," Poseidon huffed, turning around to go back upstairs. The others followed him to the First Year Boys' dormitory. When everyone was inside the room, Apollo peeked outside the door before closing it and locking it.

"So what's that important thing you've been talking about? And it had better be important, or else…" Poseidon was eyeing his older brother venomously.

"Of course it's important. I need you to duplicate this for me," Apollo handed him the envelope but he didn't take it.

"Just when I was in the middle of doing my homework, you barge in and interrupt just for this?! What the blood hell?!"

"No, no, wait, Poseidon! You don't understand," Apollo raised his hands in defense. Apollo knows from experience that an angry Poseidon was a scary sight. "You have to believe me when I say that this is important to our cause. Right, Arty?"

"Right."

"See? Just duplicate it and then read it afterwards."

Poseidon snatched the envelope from his hand and gave him a glare before taking out his wand and muttering an incantation under his breath. After a few seconds, another envelope appeared on his hand, and he gave the original one back to Apollo before reading the contents of the other envelope, Hades reading behind his shoulder. Their eyes grew as wide as saucers as they read through.

"Rowan Parkinson?" Hades said when he was finished. "Who could he be?"

"Dunno," Apollo shrugged. "But he's obviously related to Pansy in some way."

Hades narrowed his eyes in thought, before a look of realization dawned on his face. "Could he be…?"

"Any ideas, Hade?"

"When I asked Pansy if she would like to go to the Christmas dinner, I asked her what her plans for the holidays were. She said she was going to visit her brother."

"I also remember her saying that when she left that night," Artemis said.

"So this Rowan character could possibly be her brother, am I correct?" Apollo asked. The other two nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute," Poseidon suddenly said. The other three looked at him inquiringly. "I think I've seen this name before… Yes, I think I have."

"You have?" Hades asked. Poseidon nodded. "Where?"

"That's what I'm trying to remember," Poseidon said. "Ah! I remember now, come with me, hurry!"

The others followed him as he ran out of the dormitory and into the direction of the library. When they got there, he immediately went up to one aisle and started searching through different folders.

"The library?" Apollo said with distaste. "I never thought I'd have to go back in here ever again after we carried out the plan."

Poseidon snorted at this, while the other two merely rolled their eyes. After a few shuffling of papers, Poseidon found what he was looking for.

"Here it is," he said, laying out the contents of the folder for everyone to see. "Whoever said that the archive section here in Hogwarts is one of the most intensive in the wizarding world was right. I doubt this information can be found elsewhere. Let's see… got it. Here it is."

He pointed at one name among the list on the parchment, and indeed, there it was written in almost fading black ink: 'Parkinson, Rowan'.

"That's it? Nothing else? No information on him whatsoever?" Apollo exclaimed.

"I only said I saw his name. I didn't say I saw an entire file on him," Poseidon clarified.

"What is this list anyway?" Hades asked.

"Well, as for that…" Poseidon took a glance at them first, and hesitated at first, before flipping the cover of the folder to reveal the title:

'DEATH EATERS-MISSING'

The other three had different reactions. Hades' eyes grew as wide as saucers, Artemis clasped her hand over her mouth to keep her from speaking loudly, and as for Apollo, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Poseidon.

"How did you even know this list existed?"

"I've been doing a background research on Father for some time now," Poseidon answered. "I just happened to come across this list, took one glance at it then put it aside afterwards. It wasn't of any significance to my research anyway."

"And yet you remembered that his name was in this?"

"I took note of it because he had the same surname as the missing Pansy Parkinson. Wait, if I remember correctly, there's a copy of all the family trees of pureblood families somewhere here. I know it's in this same aisle…"

And with that he turned around and went through the files once again. Apollo heaved a sigh.

"Ah, the wonders of having a nerd for a brother," he muttered, which earned him a glare from Hades and Artemis. Poseidon on the other hand didn't even hear him as he was already so engrossed with digging through the musty records.

"Hmm… no, that's not it… it's got to be here somewhere… Aha! Finally!"

He emerged from the tall stacks of folders and records after a few minutes had passed, a victorious grin on his face. His hair was already messed up, and there were smudges of dust on his face, but he didn't seem to care or notice. He opened the black hardbound compilation in his hand and flipped through its pages as his siblings neared him.

"There are only a few pureblood families, so it should be somewhere in… here," he stopped at one page. True enough, it was the Parkinson family tree. He ran his fingers across the page as he searched for Pansy's name, which was at the very bottom of the tree. There was a line connected to it, and he followed it with his finger. He looked up at the other three upon seeing the name written there; they'd found what they were looking for.

"So we were right. Rowan is Pansy's brother… and he's dying," Hades realized, exchanging sad looks with his siblings. Apollo's expression, however, changed into something akin to pensive.

"Where's the envelope?"

"It's here," Poseidon replied, fishing out from his pocket the envelope he'd duplicated earlier. Apollo looked through the papers inside, reading the contents very carefully as if looking for a specific word.

"What are you looking for?" Artemis asked.

"I just realized something," his eyes continued to scan the papers until he stopped at the last one. "Bingo. Poseidon, what's the date of the end of the Second War?"

Poseidon raised an eyebrow in confusion at his question. After all, it wasn't like Apollo to be suddenly interested in History, especially seeing as History of Magic was the subject he hated most. Apollo returned his look with an exasperated one.

"Just answer me."

"It was towards the end of term, because the final exams were cancelled afterwards. I can't remember the exact date, but it was in June of 1997 when it ended. Why?"

A knowing smirk crossed Apollo's face when he asked. "Rowan Parkinson was admitted in St. Mungo's June 19, 1997."

His siblings' eyes grew wide at this fact. He showed them the paper to prove it, and true enough, the information was there.

"And when did Pansy disappear?" Apollo asked further, trying to get them to realize his point.

"At the end of the Second War, June of 1997," Poseidon answered in a whisper

"Wait a minute, so you're saying…" Hades said to confirm if his thoughts were the same as the others'.

"We just may have found out the truth behind the mystery of Professor Parkinson's disappearance," Apollo answered with a nod.

"Bloody hell," Artemis muttered, flabbergasted by their discovery.

"You can say that again," Hades acquiesced. "We have to return the original letter now to Pansy, don't you think?"

"Oh, no worries, I have it right-" Apollo stopped as he stuck his hand into his robe pocket.

"Don't tell me it's not there," Artemis said warningly.

"It's here," Apollo replied, pulling out the envelope. "But my wand isn't. I must've left it at home when we were packing our stuff!"

The other three sighed. Some things will never change, will they?

"I need to get it back! I'm nothing without my wand!" he added, looking at his siblings with puppy dog eyes. For some reason he's developed a strange attachment to his wand, and he's never been apart from it since he bought it until now.

"Alright, I'm going with you. But we're gonna have to sneak our way in and out," Hades said in resignation. "Come on, let's get back to the Common Room, seeing as we have to use the Floo."

He led the way out of the library, followed by Apollo directly behind him and Artemis and Poseidon lagging behind. It seemed that this was gonna be another adventure they'll have to take.

Draco sighed as he leaned back further into his seat. He was still in his study, but he was no longer drinking. Instead he was thinking of the riddle his children left him. It wasn't like them to be so tightlipped about things. Usually, when there's something wrong they tell it straight to him, and they've never been one to play around like this. Well, he figured he had to at least get moving, and he needed to start by getting the most basic information he needed.

He turned to his desk, got a piece of paper and started writing a letter. When he was done, he stood up and made his way to the owlery, where he asked one of his most trusted owls to deliver the letter he'd made. As the owl flew away from the manor, he couldn't help but let out a sigh. Why did this have to happen during the holidays? Why now, when he thought his life couldn't be any more perfect?

'I'd best get some sleep, I suppose. I wouldn't be able to think straight in this state,' he thought to himself as he walked out of the owlery.

On his way to his room, he a lot of things entered his mind, mainly how lonely the manor seemed without the children in it. The atmosphere was exactly like it had been when he was younger—cold and foreboding. He was going to figure out what his children meant as soon as he can, so he can bring them back already. When he was walking past the hallway where the children's rooms were, he caught a glimpse of blond hair out of the corner of his eye. He walked towards where he saw it and waited (for a sound or for someone to come out, he also didn't know what) but nothing happened. Figuring that it must be his eyes playing tricks on him, he turned and continued walking to his room.

Unknown to him, there was someone in one of the rooms. Two of them, to be exact. Apollo and Hades leaned at the closed doors of Apollo's room, panting heavily from the running and hiding they've done.

"You idiot!" Hades hissed as he glared at Apollo. "Dad almost caught us because of you!"

"It's not my fault your hair attracts more attention to itself than needed," Apollo retorted. "Anyway, summon my wand now so we can get out of here."

Hades continued to glare at him as he fished out his wand. It didn't seem to affect the other, though, as they were surrounded by darkness, and only the moon was their source of light. He extended a hand as he held his wand up, aiming at nowhere in particular.

"Accio Apollo's wand!"

They heard a whooshing sound coming from a part of the room, and soon enough Apollo's wand was in Hades' outstretched hand. Apollo grabbed it even before he can say anything.

"Yes! Good thing using magic in the house is undetectable," Apollo exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Now let's go."

They slowly opened the door, cautious as to not make the hinges creak, and tiptoed their way out of the room and back down the stairs as silently as they can. They made their way to the main living room, which they also used to get into the Manor. As they passed by a particular table where the unopened letters were placed, Hades suddenly stopped and looked at the parcels and letters on it.

"What are you doing?" Apollo inquired.

"Wait, it's my monthly subscription of- Hey, what's this?"

Hades picked up an envelope that was addressed to their father. It was a perfectly normal envelope, but what made him interested was a certain something found on its back.

"Oi! This is not the time to be nosy, let's go!" Apollo said demandingly, his hand already holding a fistful of Floo powder. Pocketing his newsletter and the envelope, he hurried to the fireplace. Apollo threw the powder when he was already there, and with a burst of green flames they were gone.

As Draco had expected, he was not having a peaceful sleep. He wasn't having a nightmare, but what he was seeing was not a pleasant one as well. He was dreaming of a memory; it was one of his most treasured and well-kept memories. But looking back on it now proved to be a most painful experience.

"Draco?"

Pansy's voice stirred Draco from his light sleep. They were lying beside each other in his bed in the Slytherin dormitory, naked and exhausted after their love-making a few hours before. He looked at the woman in his arms and smiled slightly with a cocked eyebrow, waiting for her to complete her question.

"It's going to happen soon, right? I'm scared… of what might and might not happen."

Draco placed a soft kiss on her forehead to soothe her even just a little. "I know. I'm feeling just as anxious, but we've done everything that we can and everything that's expected of us. All we can do now is wait and trust Potter with all we have. He's the only one who can end this."

Pansy propped herself up with one arm, and looked at Draco. Draco can see the worry and fear swimming in her eyes, and it really couldn't be helped, given the current situation. Everything's uncertain; you never know what will happen and when it will happen—it just takes you by surprise and there's nothing you can do about it.

"I know, but-"

"We'll make it through this, Pansy. We haven't done that much good to be taken away so easily. I'll come back to you just as I am right now, I promise."

"Naked and all sweaty?"

Pansy had made a joke; she's starting to feel better already. Draco chuckled.

"Don't try to deny that you like what you see."

"I didn't say anything like that."

"You know what I mean, don't you?" Draco's tone suddenly reverted back to being serious. Pansy nodded in reply. "And when all this is over… will you marry me, Pansy?"

Pansy's eyes widened in surprise at what Draco just asked. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she gave another nod. "Of course I will. I'll marry you."

Cupping her cheek, Draco pulled her gently towards her and claimed her lips in a loving kiss. When he broke the kiss, he kept their foreheads pressed together, rubbing his nose against hers. "You have to promise me too… promise me that you'll come back after the war is over, and after that we'll get married and have kids, and when they move out, we'll spend the rest of our lives together forever until we die together. Do you promise?"

"I promise."

Draco sighed as his eyes fluttered open, finally waking up from the dream. In the end, that promise remained just as that: a promise. It was never made into reality. Pansy disappeared right after the war, and was not seen or heard of until a few months ago. The one person he had trusted to be at his side when things became unbearable had walked out on him, dropped him like a plaything and abandoned him. The least that she could've done was to tell him why, but she didn't. Despite everything, he only felt frustration and disappointment towards her, and never anger like what his children think. He was so frustrated with himself that he couldn't seem to hate her when she so deserved it.

His thoughts were interrupted by a rather loud knocking sound at his window. The owl he had sent out earlier was back with a tiny scroll tied to its foot. He opened the window and retrieved the scroll before letting the owl go back to the owlery. Opening the tiny piece of parchment, it read:

Draco, I'll be glad to help. I'll come by tomorrow at around 4 for tea.-L.L.

"So it finally begins," Draco muttered to himself, a small smile on his face.