Chapter 15

"Now, when I return, from my...absence," he looked intently at the both of us, "Death Eaters will be in Hogwarts."

My heart almost stopped beating.

"What?" I managed to choke out.

"No student will be harmed, if it is under my power, Astoria," he seemed to be planning his words carefully. I felt like I was missing something, like my brain was struggling to put together a puzzle with half the pieces.

"Then what?" Draco asked, voicing the exact thought that I had been too afraid to speak aloud.

"Then, Draco, you will cooperate with the Death Eaters, and when I give you my carefully pre-arranged signal, you will disarm me, and we will have a staged conversation, for sake of...listeners. Understand?" He nodded and I found myself nodding along, even though that didn't apply to me.

"Sir, when you say there will be Death Eaters...here, d'you mean they'll come though...the vanishing cabinet?"

"Correct, Mr. Malfoy."

"What if I don't finish it off? Then what?" he asked desperately.

"That is for you to decide, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore smiled wisely.

At Hogwarts several nights later, no one knew what was happening in the heart of the castle-two house elves, doing to bidding of Harry Potter, (one willingly, the other unwillingly) were beginning their tail on Draco Malfoy that very minute.

Draco's POV

Draco returned from the abandoned girls' bathroom haunted by Moaning Myrtle. He had finally broken down at the seemingly hopelessness of his burdens, and Myrtle had seemed all too eager to comfort him. Draco stopped in his tracks, narrowing his eyes, his echoing footsteps bouncing off the walls of the empty hallway-the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and movement caught the corner of his eye. Turning his head slowly, focusing on the reflection of the stained glass window...

Someone was watching him.

Astoria's POV

I flew through the cold air, shivering violently as the drizzling rain continued to soak my robes and hair, even through the repelling charm. I wasn't the best with weather spells. I continually blinked water out of my eyes, trying to tune out the commentary and the cheering and jeering of the crowds below so I could concentrate on the hunt for the snitch. I realized halfway through the game that I had been holding my breath every time the bludger got anywhere near me, and probably had been doing so without realizing it ever since my accident. This particular match was against Gryffindor, against Harry, who was, undisputedly, the best seeker in the school. It was rather daunting, really. I tried to keep my teeth from knocking together as I clenched my legs tighter together to retain whatever little body heat I was producing. Wincing, I changed my direction, now flying straight into the wind...towards Harry, who had taken a steep dive, shooting across the field, a blurry smudge.

This was no Wronski Feint.

I bulleted immediately after him-Harry had beaten me once, I wanted to beat him today.

Wind whipping my hair and clothes behind me I flew after him as he-probably unconsciously-looked back to check my progress. He only spared a quick glance over his shoulder, only disturbing his position for a moment-but it only took a moment to slow him down. My heart beat excitedly as I seized my only advantage-I leaned over my broom, hand outstretched, eyes locked on the winged golden ball in front of me...I was so focused that everything behind it was a fuzzy mass of blurry shapes and colors.

Then my point of view switched as I blinked, and my eyes automatically focused on what was behind the snitch, making the snitch itself quite blurry. The scene behind it sharpened into perfect clarity. In this second, the snitch jumped up as if pulled on a string-

I pulled my broom back to a halt in front of the scene. Harry was spiraling up with the snitch, it was useless now, he would catch it. No one was watching me. The picture that befell my eyes made me wish that now was the day I got hit by the bludger instead of all those weeks ago. Was it some cruel prank that just as Harry caught the snitch my eyes fell upon the Slytherin stands? The sound of elated cheering reached my ears but it mattered little to what I saw now, and it broke my heart.

Centered smack dab in the middle of the stands sat Draco and Pansy, captured in a passionate kiss.

Cold fingers of pain closed my heart in it's stony grip. Neither of them had seen me-they were too involved in each other-I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't tear my eyes away, the were glued to the scene-I don't know what jarred me to action, but something did, and I quickly landed hard on the ground, not bothering to slow my broom. I dashed out of the pitch, not bothering to change or put my broom away, beating by a long way the rest of the team as they headed to change. In response to their "we'll do better next time" which really meant to me as the seeker-"you better catch the snitch next time-" I gave fake smiles. The students had not yet descended from the stands and as I passed the Gryffindor team-

"Good game!" Harry shouted and I smiled a bit, waving in return. As soon as I was further away from the stands I re-mounted my broom, and the wind caused my eyes to water, blurring my vision. The rain had turned into a steady drizzle already, and the sun was beginning to crack the wall of black clouds. It was slowly warming the air. I stopped and instead of continuing my flight toward a side door of the castle I twisted back toward the Great Lake, the wind at my back. The tall clouds were rolling west, the sun sending it's rays over the ground. The air was heavy with moisture, still smelling of rain. The light was glinting off snow, and the Whomping Willow shuddered, basking in the new warmth. I was delighted to see the brownish patches where the snow was scarce, signaling the end of winter. Well, the beginning of the end, anyway. I flew toward a large tree with knotty limbs extending over the waters of the lake but it's roots firmly planted on the rocky shore. I carefully stepped off my broom straight onto one of the larger branches directly over the waters, and I sat with my back against the trunk, legs spread out in front of me on the branch. My broom lay across my lap. I looked out to my left over at the sun glinting off the now-still water like glass. I let my eyes become unfocused as I felt my mind begin to settle on the one topic I wished it wouldn't think of...Draco and Pansy.

Draco's POV

Draco was sure of it now-he was being watched. By who? He didn't know. By which side of the twisted intricacy of the wizarding world? Also unknown. He watched his owl fly off into the distance bearing warning to Astoria, wherever she was. He hadn't seen her after the game.

The game. He shuddered, his face twisting into one of disgust. He hadn't wanted whoever was keeping tabs on him to suspect anything out of the ordinary...so he had allowed Pansy to kiss him. He wasn't really sure why. What would it prove? He was confused. The only thing he wasn't confused about was the pressing wait of guilt sitting on his chest.

A feeling of dread grew in Draco's stomach. What was he supposed to do? He raged at himself. He couldn't afford to do anything suspicious until he found out who his pursuer was. Besides, Pansy was nothing compared to what he had with Astoria. Pansy was a girl he used to let tag along with him. And now he couldn't get rid of her. Who could be having him tailed- Snape? He shuddered. If it was someone like him, he'd have to keep up the charade with Pansy, no matter how horrific. He couldn't lead anyone to Astoria.

Speaking of Astoria-she couldn't have seen him outside, had she? It didn't mean anything, anyway. Draco hoped Astoria would know that. He recalled the note that his owl was probably giving to her at this very moment-

Astoria-

I am being watched. I don't know who is watching me, but we have to be extra cautious. You flew well in the game, as always.

Draco

Astoria

I looked up as I saw a sleek, ebony eagle-owl gliding toward my perch in the tree. Draco's owl.

I waited patiently for it to land; I had two reasons for not replying, and they were already running through my head. One, I had nothing to write with, and two, I had just seen him with Pansy. Heavy heartedly I gently pushed the owl's outstretched leg back down, and he emitted an indignant hoot.

"Just take it back," he cocked his head at me, blinking his amber eyes at me slowly. "Go!" I shooed it with my hands and it finally took off, spiraling once over the tree, then returning to the castle. I wanted to call it back now that it was gone, curiosity burning deep within me, but self control ultimately winning over. But what if it had been an explanation? I squirmed uncomfortably.

Draco's POV

Draco continued watching out the window in the owlery- well, it was more a half-circle hole in the wall for the owls to fly into than a window. Many of the birds that surrounded him on all sides were hooting at each other while others sat asleep. Draco's eyes trained themselves on a black speck in the sky that rather looked like his owl-

Flying in, the bird stopped on the window ledge, extending an all-too familiar looking note to Draco. He removed it from the owl's leg, concluding right away that it had never been opened.

Draco swore under his breath.

As he followed the flight of his owl to the grounds, slow so he could keep up as it lead him to Astoria, he caught a glimpse yet again of his follower. Or rather, a sound.

"Get down!" he hissed at his owl, thankful for his keen ears.

"You-will-not-insult-" one squeaky voice hissed.

"-Filthy friend of mudbloods!" a slightly lower voice responded furiously.

"Shhh!" Both of them hissed at once. But what both of them didn't count on was that the wind was blowing toward Draco, carrying easily their voices over the distance. Draco's owl swooped low over the short stalkers-with two muffled squeals of terror and two pops that sounded oddly like those of dissaparation,Draco broke off into a run-he didn't know how long it would take to get to Astoria and tell her, and he didn't know how much longer he had before his followers returned. Now he knew there were two of them-at least. There had been two then, but what if there was a whole multitude, a whole army, taking shifts?

He was now approaching one of the rocky beaches of the Great Lake, and his owl began to circle over one of the large trees that extended over the water.

A

I watched, frozen, as Draco sprinted down toward my tree. He looked up at the sky, curious, and I did the same, searching until I spotted his owl circling around the top branches of the huge tree. Well, he wouldn't be able to climb it with no broom-the first branch was half the height of a Quidditch goal post.

"Astoria!" he called, his voice ringing out and echoing as he caught sight of me. He waved his hands over his head anxiously, and I didn't respond. I just looked at him.

"I saw you and Pansy, Draco," I called down to him in a flat voice, standing up to straddle my broom, the tips of my toes still brushing the limb.

"What? Astoria, come down from there so we can properly talk!" I did. I floated down a ways, staying on my broom, still staying high enough above him so that he was forced to look up at me. Not for dramatics, but because I didn't know if I could trust myself within close proximity to him.

"Pansy means nothing to me, Tori!" he said quickly, glancing behind him.

"Do you always go around snogging girls that mean nothing to you?" Was this some sort of sign, that our relationship was doomed to fail? I normally didn't believe in that sort of thing, but Draco and I had just seemed to be mixing about as well as oil and water at the moment. It wasn't like that all the time...but just enough to worry me. Every time I thought we were making progress, something else was thrown into the way. Maybe we never would make progress.

"It's not like that," he pleaded.

"You take Pansy out of this, Draco," I told him. "All the way." He clenched his jaw and folded his arms.

"There is nothing going on between us! Nothing! She is merely a cover-up for your own safety, Astoria, because you and I of all people should know that Hogwarts is far from out of the eyes of Death Eaters! Now if you'll come down from there, I have to tell you something, now!" His eyes flashed with urgency and frustration at my lack of cooperation.

I shook my head. "I'm tired of fighting, Draco. It's all we ever do. So you let me know when we can figure this out." And I flew off.

I was putting this in Draco's hands-if we wanted this, he would fight for it.

Dumbledore's voice flitted through my head-although the bit of wisdom was on a completely different subject, my subconsciousness seemed to think it applied to the situation. What's meant to be will happen. So then why was my heart aching like someone was trying to pull it to pieces?

That day seemed to be the turning point for weather- from there on out, it gradually began to improve as the days grew warmer and longer.

As I was dotting the last "i" on my potions assignment the next day after the Quidditch game, a large tawny owl began to tap against the glass. Hurrying over and opening the window to stop the incessant banging, I realized that I didn't recognize the yellow-eyed owl that was perching on my bedside table.

Unrolling the tightly folded note, I sighed at the familiar looping handwriting. My heart jumped excitedly, and I looked around the empty room guiltily as if I had been caught doing something that I shouldn't. My fingers twitched as if to toss aside the note, but I absolutely had to read it-curiosity swamped over me with overwhelming force. My eyes eagerly scanned the short letter, grudgingly admitting that using a school owl was a clever ploy for Draco to get me to read something of his.

A-

I know you don't want to hear about Pansy, so I won't say anything. But please continue reading-if you are reading these words than you've already gotten further than I've allowed myself to hope you would. Now, someone IS watching me. I don't know who, I don't even know if they're human-but I know there's two of them. Just be careful, alright? I don't know why, or how long this has been going on. But you have my word this is not some desperate scheme I'm dreaming up to win you back, love.

This last line brought a smile to my face.

But we have to be more cautious about "this" until we figure out who wants to keep tabs on me. If, of course, there swill IS a "this"...which brings me to the next part of my letter.

The only reason I was you-know-what'ing with Pansy was because of Zabini and Nott. Pansy was complaining about how 'distant' I'd been lately, and Nott and Zabini began to agree. I wasn't going to do anything-but then they actually pinpointed you because they knew how I wanted you all these years. They asked about you, and if there was anything stopping Pansy and I that had to do with you. Well, that struck a nerve-just to shut them up...well, you know the rest.

Still, I shouldn't have done it, it was stupid, and I'm incredibly sorry. I still love you more than anything in the world.*

Draco

At this I kneeled down on the wooden floors and pulled out a small box containing pictures. Reaching down toward the bottom, I pulled out the picture of Draco and I from the astronomy tower, looking longingly at the two of us holding each other, and brushing my fingers over our laughing faces. We looked so happy.

I didn't realize my other hand had gone to my necklace until I pushed the box which held the picture once more back under the bed again.

I looked at the letter again, smoothing the last fold to reveal an inky black post script-

P.S-the owl won't leave until you write back, darling.

I looked up, startled, but not very surprised as the owl still sat in my room.

Smirking, I pulled a quill and a piece of parchment from the stand on my table. I wondered who was watching him-it wouldn't be Dumbledore, he would never do something like that, he trusted Draco. As crazy as that sounded. But still, who else could it be?

I was confused on what I should write first-Pansy, or his stalkers? Maybe I needed to stalk the stalkers...

"Whooo!" Draco's borrowed owl snapped me out of my plan-making. Sighing, I put the quill to paper, the half-formed strategy lingering in my mind-

D-

I'll find out who the watchers are. In the meanwhile-you're a good actor-use your talent to make up an excuse about why you can't drape yourself over Parkinson. Be careful.

Love, A

I did my homework in the great hall that night. I positioned myself carefully across the room from Draco but not so far that I couldn't see him, all according to the plan. I was going to slip out quietly after he had gone, staying a safe distance behind him, and hopefully getting me into the range of his tailers.

After almost twenty minutes I slipped out, trying to appear nonchalant as I stayed about twenty-five meters behind Draco, who, exactly as we had planned by way of letters, was taking a conveniently long walk around the school in order to give me more time to search for any more suspicious activity.

I was coming up with a rather disappointing nothing after ten minutes-nothing heard or seen out of place, not even a whisper.

"Malfoy!" I called out loudly. I was going to pretend there was nothing between us just in case I actually had missed something. He stopped and turned around-just as Peeves popped through the ceiling.

"Hee hee!" he shrieked joyfully, barreling through the air, dropping bombs of water balloons that reeked like dumb bombs, cackling-"When there's strife and when there's trouble, call on Peevesie, he'll make double!"

Luckily, he was too busy spinning down the ceiling of the halls to notice us as we stood quietly, willing him to fly away.

"I didn't see anything," I whispered quickly. "Are you sure you're not just being paranoid?"

"No, I'm sure I've heard them," he pushed urgently. Then his expression changed, smirking after he looked around. Seeing nothing and no one, he walked into the nearest classroom-as he got past the door frame, he turned around to face me.

"Coming?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked, narrowing my own eyes.

"I'm going to explain more about Pansy," he said in a low voice, closing the door behind us.

"Ugh, I just want to forget about that," I winced, hopping up onto a desk and crossing my legs.

"What's this? Is Astoria jealous?" he teased, leaning his back against the desk beside me, crossing his arms and looking up at me.

"Yes, actually, thanks for asking," I rolled my eyes, pretending to pout. "Let's not talk about it anymore, alright?" I pleaded.

"Alright." He hadn't dropped eye contact once. "When's your birthday?" he asked abruptly, taking my hands as I hopped down from my desk.

"June 21st, why?" I asked.

"That's the Summer Solstice," he observed. "And I was wondering so I knew when to get you something for your birthday."

"I see," I smiled as he pulled me closer to him a bit at first, waiting for my okay to continue. I nodded slowly but happily, letting him embrace me, and closing my eyes as he wrapped his arms around me, resting his forehead on mine. Even though we had been dating for months, every touch, every kiss, still felt like the first, causing my heart to skip a beat. I was keenly aware of how close together we were-I was sure he would feel my heart beating through my chest.

He looked into my eyes, and I didn't think I could have pulled them away even if I wanted to.

"I love you so much," he whispered, pressing his lips to mine in a heated kiss. I pulled him closer against me, standing on my toes. I jumped up, wrapping my legs around his torso, and deepened the kiss.

We finally pulled away, breathing ragged, smiling at each other in the dark of the room.

"I love you" I whispered Suddenly, a thought flickered across my mind-or a more accurate description would be made a reappearancein my mind. What if Draco and I got married someday? I felt inexplicably happy, and wondered tentatively if the same thought had ever crossed his mind. Especially right now. However, I wasn't bold enough to bring it up-after all, we were only in our sixth year.

We pulled into another kiss, and he set me on a desk, leaning into me when-

"-hate Professor Snape! He's like, sooo mean!" came the animated voice of a younger girl just outside the door. Looking wildly around, Draco helped me down and pulled me into a crouch by the wall where we both leaned so we wouldn't be seen-at least right away-if one of the students outside were to suddenly fling the door open.

"I know, right? He..." the voices faded away, but we stayed huddled in the crouch position.

"That always happens," he whispered, breath tickling my ear from behind me.

"It's a reminder," I turned to face him, kissing him lightly one more time. "That it's late, and we should probably get to bed."

Just two weeks later, in the midst of the ever-increasing frustration with Wilkie Twycross and his apparation lessons, five people had managed to apparate by mid-March. I didn't feel as though I was getting closer, though I was getting rather good at fixating on a certain point and scrunching my face up until I looked like I was going to rip to pieces whatever I'd been staring at. According to Julie, at least.

Draco still hadn't managed to reveal the identity of his watchers- if anything, they were being more secretive-if they were still there, that was. It was almost as if they knew we were onto them now. For all we knew, they could have disappeared completely, leaving Draco and I chasing after them like idiots.

"Come on, students! Destination, determination, deliberation!" by now, half of the great hall, including Julie and I, were mouthing along with his much over-used speech-"You must focus upon the destination! Then focus your determination- feel the need to travel overcome you! Need it like you need to breath!" He was waving his hands madly, hopping on his feet with passion as if he were trying to apparate himself. "And finally, Deliberation! Let your longing to be in the desired location fill every fiber of your body!" He clapped his hands twice. Several minutes later, the five that had already accomplished it were being pulled to the side, their hoops being set at a greater distance.

I closed me eyes, breathing in and out deeply, not caring about how stupid I probably looked. At least I wasn't the only one. I tried to drown out the sound around me, and I opened my eyes and fixated them on the very center of my wooden hoop. I was physically clenching all the muscles in my body with determination, but remembering the first splinching- caused by primarily using only determination-caused me to ease up. But only a bit. I raised up on my toes a bit, and with a fluttering of my heart everything went silent-for a split second, I felt like I was being twisted and-

I gasped, opening my eyes, kicking out and disrupting whatever had been about to happen.

"Damn!" I muttered under my breath, and Julie looked at me sympathetically, having many times over been through the ordeal I had just experienced.

But I had to admit-it was progress, however little it was.

I was writing a letter to my parents with the background noise of my friends and my shared room. Sarah was in the bathroom with the door shut, brushing her teeth. Julie and Lucy would probably be up any minute from supper.

As if she had read my thoughts, Lucy grinned at me as she walked in, throwing her robes on her perfectly made bed.

"So, how's the boyfriend?" came her teasing voice.

"Wha-" I started. Sarah was in the bathroom! Lucy didn't know it!

"You know, Draco," she said, misunderstanding my spluttered half of a word. Right at the worst moment possible, Sarah flung the door open. Just my luck.

"Bloody hell!" Lucy shrieked, jumping around to face the door that had just swung around forcefully, hitting the bedroom wall.

"What?" Sarah's eyes widening. "You and Draco?"

"Maybe," I said timidly, taking in Sarah's shocked face, mouth open slightly and eyebrows arched high.

"When did this happen?" she flung herself onto the bed next to me, grinning eagerly as Lucy stood frozen, hand covering her mouth. "Today?"

"Uh, not exactly," How was I to explain this?

"Yesterday, then? Was Lucy there? Is that why she knew? Were you both going to tell Julie and I tonight? I can act surprised!"

Lucy and I looked at each other wearily.

"Sarah..." I started, taking a deep breath. "This...this is a secret. You can't tell anyone."

Her face morphed into one of confusion.

"What? Why? We can at least tell Julie, can't we?" I sighed at the deja vu of the whole situation.

"No." I shook my head.

"Then why did you tell her?" she tilted her head toward Lucy, the slightest hint of accusation in her voice. I had always admired Sarah's fierce sense of fairness and loyalty, and often wondered why they didn't get her into Hufflepuff- but I already half-knew the answer. She had asked. But her admirable traits were going to be working against me tonight.

"I didn't. She found out accidentally, just like you did," I sighed, rubbing my temples. Sarah stayed silently for a moment, chewing her lip.

"How long?" she finally asked.

"Since October...but on and off," I put in quickly.

Her eyes bugged out in shock.

"But we've fought a lot," I added lamely.

"Why can't we just tell Julie?" she repeated slowly, crossing her arms.

"Sarah, please, Draco and I-we just can't, alright? It won't work if everyone knows!" you don't understand what's at stake, I added in my head, a silent plea. Please trust me...nervousness began to build in my stomach, and I felt like it was trying to gnaw it's way out.

"Astoria, you were the one who always said friendships were more important than boys. And if we lie about this to Julie..." she trailed off, looking at me significantly, expecting me to finish her sentence and agree. "Honestly, what could it hurt?" she tried to add persuasively when she saw I wasn't going to budge.

Everything! I wanted to scream. It could ruin everything! "Sarah, you don't understand," a trace of desperation crept into my voice."I-I wanted to tell all of you," I began carefully. "But...please. For the sake of our friendship-trust me. Don't tell her." And for the sake of my life, Draco's life, his family's life, and the torture of many innocent people. It was strange how many things were riding on Draco and my relationship. But if it was discovered, the next thing to be brought into the open would be Draco's alliance to Dumbledore. And if one thing was revealed, the next thing would be too, in less than a blink of an eye. The results would be catastrophic.

"I...can't." she shook her head. "I don't see why you can't and I think you're just...going overboard, that's all. I wouldn't be able to look Julie in the eye. Lucy, you haven't told anyone?"

"No," she lifted her chin. "And I don't think you should either, Sarah. At least think about it."

Everyone has their moments of weakness, moments where temptation struggles to take over.

Obliviate...a hissing, echo-y whisper slithered through my head, vibrating into the crevices of my mind. Obliviate the memory...easier for everyone...

No! I thought feverishly.

"No what?" Sarah asked.

Oops. I guess I had more than thought the word.

But so much was at stake! What would happen if even three others knew about Draco and I? One simple slip and everything would be...

"Sarah, can I talk to you?" Lucy stepped forward, putting her hand on Sarah's shoulder. I thanked her with my eyes, not only for helping, but for trusting me blindly. I would tell them everything one day, and we would laugh about it over tea.

But right now...

I didn't know where they went to talk, and I didn't know what was said.

But as they walked back in and Lucy shook her head at me, almost imperceptibly, I knew there was one more desperate measure I could take to keep the secret.

I stood up, ready to make my first true sacrifice to protect those I loved. My heart ached, thudding heavily against my ribcage.

I knew I had to do this. Completely realistically, it could be saving lives. If it was a known fact that Draco and I were dating, I knew that...other things, more secret things that were tied and bound into our relationship, like Draco's status as a double agent...they could just as easily slip out and find their way into the wrong hands.

"Sarah," I looked up to meet the eyes of the tall girl with the short blonde hair grazing her cheekbones. "If you tell Julie this, or anyone else, we can't be friends any more. I know it's a lot to ask to trust me blindly, but Lucy did it, and I don't see why you can't, either. If you really trusted me, if you were really my friend, you'd know I had a dead solid reason to ask you to do so," I said solemnly. "You don't understand how important it is that this remains a secret."

"I'm sorry, Astoria. But this is who I am."

I nodded slowly, tears welling in my eyes. But not of sadness, of fear. Because I couldn't let Sarah do this. If only she knew what was at risk-

"I just don't understand why we can't still be friends!" she burst out.

I shook my head slowly, and I could never put my finger on what exactly happened just then, up until the day that I died. It was inexplicable. But a wave of strength rolled over me, and I could practically see Dumbledore standing there in the room with me, telling me that there was no other way.

"I'm sorry," I turned away.

"Okay. Fine," her voice was thick. I turned back to her, doubtful. Was she changing her mind? Something in her voice had shifted- "I don't know why this is so important...and you have to understand how hard this is for me...but I'm going to take a leap of faith, here. I'm going to trust you."

"You have no idea how grateful I am!" I almost cried out of sheer relief as we hugged,

"So are we okay?" she asked, holding me at arms' length.

"More than," I smiled.

Our secret was safe-at least for now.

A\N- That last phrase was something my great grandfather wrote at the end of every single letter to my great grandmother when he was off fighting in World War II up until the day his plane was hit. I just thought it would fit in the letter nicely:)

(AND-House elves CAN dissaperate in Hogwarts, Dobby did it and Kreacher probably did too, just not that I can remember presently.)