Chapter 19:
Two days after Hermione's shocking letter from Lord Voldemort found her standing in a Death Eaters mass meeting. She stood between her parents and Draco, along with the rest of the Inner Circle, in a semi-circle behind Lord Voldemort's throne, facing the lower echelons. Full robes and masks were on and Hermione smirked at the night's proceedings. There had been some torturing of a few new recruits that hadn't been able to cast the Killing curse, along a few Crucios for older members that had failed in their missions.
She was waiting for the main event though. She knew that tonight the spy would be mentioned and couldn't wait for Fred and George's reaction. She resisted the urge to tap her foot as the Dark Lord droned about a raid on the new Minister, Gawain Robards.
She had been forced to do some quick thinking to save her Father once it got out that Moody wasn't the actual Minister-to-be. Granted it helped that the Ministry hadn't even disclosed the real Minister to Scrimgeour and his staff. They ended up feeding him a fake name in hopes that if Scrimgeour were captured, the real Minister incumbent would be kept safe.
She frowned as she remembered the Order meeting where she discovered a slight wrinkle in her plans.
(Flashback)
She had secreted herself in a darkened corner of the Burrow's basement to sit in on the meeting. Her Hermione glamour was firmly in place, but she didn't feel like revealing herself and dealing with all the probable commotion.
The Order had slowly filed in, the older members preceding the younger and talking considerably less. Hermione recognized few of the younger members. She knew some from the years directly around hers at Hogwarts, but others were educated at other institutions.
As the group quieted down, she searched out the crowd and saw a few of the old DA. She saw Tonks seated with Moody and Shacklebolt, the three whispering quietly in what seemed to be an argument. She spied the Weasley twins at the back of the room with barely visible plugs in their ears, so that's how they avoid learning anything important without alerting the Order to their status. Mrs. Weasley was seated next to them with a scowl on her face. Hermione wasn't sure if it was the measures the boys had taken, or the fact that the measures were needed at all.
She spied Harry sitting over to the side, McGonagall on his right and one Ginevra Weasley practically hanging on him, how the blazes does she do that?! She fawns all over Draco and the Dark Lord, but then turns around and hangs all over Harry. How can she justify that?!
The room stilled and she turned her piercing eyes to the front of the room where Lupin stood waiting. He cleared his throat, "And so we commence." He folded his arms behind his back and began talking about specific missions. Hermione tuned out because she had been previously briefed by Moody.
She smirked, wasn't he happy when he figured out exactly who Hermione Granger was related to. She let her gaze wander and had to bite back a laugh as she saw the twins' attempts at entertaining themselves. They were playing some form of the muggle game 'patty-cake,' but every time they clapped hands, instead of a sound they changed colors. She inwardly shook her head.
She turned back to Remus and caught the tail end of his speech about the missions and how they were generally, in her words, useless. She had already told them to stop challenging the Death Eaters – an enemy desperate and backed into a corner is far more dangerous than a cocky, over-confidant one.
She snapped her head up at what she heard next, however.
"And our attempts at protecting the next Minister were successful. Apparently the Death Eaters have gone for the ruse, and Scrimgeour not only gave them the approved fake name by accident, but another fake name in an attempt to save himself." Remus grinned at the rest of the crowd as Hermione felt her stomach knot up and drop. "Therefore Kingsley should continue to be safe for the remainder of the time until he takes the position."
Hermione watched in something akin to horror as Kingsley nodded up at Remus, and felt Moody's eye on her in the corner. She gulped and it took all of her training not to apparate away immediately.
All she could think of for the next few minutes was that her family was in danger. They … we fed the Dark Lord misinformation. Oh dear Merlin and Medusa. What am I going to do now?! She thought furiously as she heard the crowd beginning to stir.
Her eyes lit up and she threw caution to the wind. She stepped out of the shadows and cleared her throat, just before Remus was about to close the meeting. Many of the members looked at her in surprise. She ignored them.
"Would it not be wise of us to keep the charade of Robards?" She questioned silently, glancing at Kingsley. "He would be the front man, a barrier of sorts," she held out her hand to stop Kingsley's probable declaration of not needing a barrier, "not that you can't handle it Kingsley. However, now that the Dark Lord has that name, should we not use it? His eyes are drawn one way, while we act in his blind spot."
One of the younger crowd spoke up, "And what just let Robards take the fall?"
She appraised the speaker. An auror by the robes, but a new one. I think he was in Ravenclaw, a year below maybe? Anyways, "By no means. He will be protected as any Minister would be. So, I think you, sir, would be the one taking the fall in that case." She heard some of the old guard chuckle. They had been annoyed by the young pups for far too long to want to stick up for them.
She turned to Remus once more, "This would enable Kingsley to act even more behind the scenes and see who is suspicious. He wouldn't be impeded by aids and body guards. It's a perfect cover." She rolled her shoulders, shaking off the others stares and maintained eye contact with Kingsley.
He seemed to be considering it, and that's all I can ask. She nodded at Remus, "Just consider it."
He glanced at Tonks, Moody and McGonagall. They all seemed to come to an accord because he replied with a quiet, "We will."
She heard a few of the younger crowd scoff and even heard a muttered, "'S got the old wolf wrapped around her swotty finger. Isn't here for a bloody five years, and they still listen to her? I say make her prove herself, like we all have."
She held herself in check, I'll deal with them later. Prove myself indeed. She kept her mouth in a straight line and followed Moody out the door as the room cleared. I'm still wearing long sleeves so I don't scare the crap out of anyone looking at me. She glanced fondly down at her outfit.
Under her leather cloak she had put on a poofy black petticoat skirt, a black leather Victorian corset and then a white linen shirt underneath the corset, so that she looked similar to a female pirate. She smirked. Her flat knee-high black leather boots covered up the last bits of skin and made for a very silent gait.
After speaking with Harry and trading glares with Ginny, she searched out the speaker from earlier. They now older Goldstein was holding court amongst many of the younger members.
She had long-since thrown off her cloak and drew her wand out of her leather collar. She prowled up behind Goldstein. She froze the ones surrounding him with a flick of her hand, a variation of the Petrificus spell that kept people in the exact position they had been, versus placing them in a full body-bind.
She placed the tip of her wand against Goldstein's neck and whispered into his ear from behind, "I don't think I need to prove myself Mr. Goldstein. I've lost more to this war than you even had to begin with. Don't question my motives, or you'll find yourself with a curious affinity for mating with elephants … as the female. Do I make my point?"
She felt him shudder, whether it was from her threat or her voice tickling the shell of his ear, she didn't know. She did recognize his short nod and stepped back, releasing the others from their binds a moment later with the swish of her wand.
She walked backwards, away from the group, savvy enough not to turn her back on a possibly vengeful man. She melted back into the shadows, but heard Moody's chuckle from across the room and caught his slight nod. She drifted over to Harry and tapped his shoulder in farewell. She whispered against his ear, loudly enough so that Ginny might hear, "I'll meet you later. Aye?" He nodded as well, surprised.
She inwardly rolled her eyes. Git doesn't even get me giving him an out away from Ginny. Damn man. I'll have to go talk to him now. Damn.
She sashayed awayy, hearing Ginny's high-pitched, "Meet her later?! For what?! I'm your girlfriend Harry Potter!" A blessed pause, then, "What do you mean by that?! Oh ho! We'll see if you're singing that tune tomorrow, you'll come back on your knees."
Someone took her hand and spun her into their chest. Chests. She looked up and caught identical faces on either side of her own. She grinned and said in a mock husky voice, "Oh my … I'm caught! Whatever shall I do?!" She placed her free hand over her forehead and pretended to faint.
She was caught by another pair of callused hands and looked into the twinkling eyes of Charlie. She grinned and kisses him with a large smack on his cheek. He picked her up bridal style and said to the crowd at large, "I have my prize … if you want her, come and get her!" With that he apparated away, amidst mock-cries from the twins, laughter from the old crowd, and glares from Goldstein's group.
They had merely apparated to the twins' apartment where the two cracked up laughing, only to be stopped in shock at the appearance of two very nude twins.
Hermione and Charlie had looked at them for a few seconds; the two blushing and cursing their 'mad Mum,' then had looked at each other and burst into renewed peals of laughter that didn't stop for a long time.
She had spent the night laughing with the three Weasleys, stopping once to go talk to Harry and make sure he was continuing with his training.
The next day she had bantered with Remus as he prepared for the full moon and had a chat with Tonks about clothing to fight in and where she got her own apparel.
She had had her first normal morning in about five years, and it felt amazing. Not even the Dark Lord summoning her that night had dampened it.
(End Flashback)
She straightened as He said, "Thankssss to our mosssst recent addition to the rankssss, the location of the Minisssster hassss been given and the raid will commencssse in the morning, before he issss able to get to work." He glanced her way.
"In addition we have a member who wissshessss to finally be known. They have brought us a new eye into Pottersssss world."
She flicked her eyes over to the Weasley twins and saw them look a bit harder at the Dark Lord's mention of a spy. She practically had to choke on a grin as the Dark Lord motioned the figure she knew to be Ginny, forward. Placing His hand on the figure's shoulder He hissed, "What a blow it sssshall be for poor Harry Potter … hissss girlfriend being a sssspy and all."
Murmurs broke out all over the hall. Hermione noticed out of the corner of her eye the twins shuffling their feet and she prayed they would do nothing stupid. She, however, hadn't counted on Voldemort saying, "Missss Weassssley will be placed in troupe eleven; I feel sssshe will be mosssst welcome there, no?"
One of the twins stepped forward and answered calmly, "Of course my Lord."
Hermione chuckled inwardly, Nothing like putting the sister in the brothers' troupe. She's toast! She watched Ginny stiffen at the Death Eater's voice and then shake her head slightly, Oh yes dearie, you aren't losing your mind; although, you might lose your life.
Hermione was still pissed off from an encounter with Ginny in the hall at the manor a day ago when the two had returned, unaware of each other, to headquarters. The younger witch had decided that now, because Hermione seemed so firmly out of the fold, she could be taken down a few pegs.
Little weasel, growled Hermione, thinks she can just sneak up on me and tell me I'm a naïve whore and will never be better than her. Hah! Just wait till she finds out the Dark Lord is taking me back and I can tell her who I really am.
She heard more murmurs break out and shifted her attention back to the hall. Apparently, He had just made mention of an outing that would happen in a week. She smirked to herself.
Then, he called up the one Death Eater she could have gone without ever meeting – Fenrir Greyback. Apparently that night's activities would include an attack on Remus Lupin, who it appeared, had taken himself to the Shrieking Shack a day early in preparation for the Full Moon. Hmm I'll have to alert Remus about that one.
Once the meeting was over, the ranks broke and flowed out. She walked beside Draco and said quietly, "I want to meet with the entire group. Midnight tonight. Think it's manageable?"
He muttered back, "If you're free. Will He call you?"
She shook her head, "I highly doubt it. He wants to stay away until our 'outing' next week."
"Ah. Well then, I suppose you want me to get the group together for a meet tonight?" He kept his face looking forward.
"Right in one. We'll meet in the Shrieking Shack, just after Greyback is gone." She nodded to him and apparated away, marveling at how formal they had become since she had been hurt and subsequently asked out.
She popped in just outside of Hogsmeade and transformed into her lioness form. She prowled through the empty streets and made her way up to the Shrieking Shack. She slinked up the broken stairs and sniffed out a napping Remus. He was curled up on a bed in one of the rooms and she growled slightly to give him a little warning of her presence. He didn't move a muscle. She rolled her eyes and stalked up to the semi-comatose figure on the bed. She nosed his foot and lapped at his hand.
He awoke with a start, feeling something very wet licking his hand. Licking … what the hell?! He looked down and saw a huge, black feline standing next to him. He started and it took all of his self-control not to jump up and scoot further onto the bed, he knew that would only upset the rather large predator. He watched in shock as it seemed to grin at him, Merlin, did Hermione put a hallucinogen in that Wolfsbane?!
His eyes widened even more as it stepped back and purred before changing into … "Hermione?!"
"Hiya Remus! I thought I'd pop in and warn you that Fenrir was coming to pay you a visit. So how're you holding up?" She grinned at him.
He gaped at her and seemed unable to come up with a coherent chain of words, "I .. you.. what?!"
She let her grin fall and sat next to him on the bed, "Fenrir is coming to kill you. Voldemort wants you out of Harry's life. I came to warn you."
He looked at her and sighed, always the blunt one, she was, "I can't say I haven't been waiting for it. I don't suppose I have much time?"
"Nope!" She said rather cheerfully.
He raised an eyebrow at her, "And I take it you have a plan."
She smirked, "Just a small one. Give him this." She handed him a small vial. "It's a Japanese remedy mixed with a few of my own potions inventions. If you can, get it on his werewolf bite."
He nodded silently and examined the bottle. A crash was heard below and in the place of the young woman was a lioness once more. She slinked to a corner and seemed to almost blend into the shadows.
He curled up once more on the bed, forced his breathing to calm, and waited. He knew he would have to hold for the perfect moment to set the serum on the older werewolf's forearm, where his bite was shown with pride. He heard the cracked chuckling of Greyback as he entered the room and counted on his desire for bloodshed, not to kill him immediately.
The old wolf sniffed the air hungrily and prowled up to his bitee lying on the bed. He snarled and kicked him with his foot, "You're weak! You hide in here and cut yourself off! You could be outside, running free with your pack." He spat the last word out as Remus sat up quietly and watched him.
"And infect more with a disease that slowly takes away one's life? I don't think so Fenrir. You did more than just bite me that day, you made a lasting enemy." Remus growled lightly; Moony coming to the surface, eager for a challenge.
The two rushed at each other, nails scraping, teeth gnashing and limbs flailing. Hermione marveled at a fight that was so innately animal and yet also human. She stayed in the shadows and watched as Remus was taken down by a nasty punch of Fenrir's, but kicked out the other werewolf's knees as he went down.
The two grappled on the floor for a few minutes, grunts and growls echoing off the walls. Finally, Remus seemed to remember his wizarding heritage and cast a binding spell on Greyback. He kneeled over the werewolf's arm and poured the potion on the bite. It began to smoke and then the bite was filled with what seemed to be molten silver. The two werewolves stared at it in shock.
Hermione was watching it clinically, considering this was the first test-run for her potion. Suddenly Greyback began to thrash around on the floor, as though caught in an epileptic fit. Then, his tongue lolling out and limbs fighting against the bindings, he suddenly became still.
Remus watched the body suspiciously, while Hermione regarded it for signs of life. She stepped out of the shadows and stalked towards the still figure on the floor.
She nosed the body slightly and found it extremely stiff. She warily took her teeth and ripped through his shirt and chest so she could look at his heart. She growled softly.
Whoops. Looks as though I need to work on keeping the silver in a contained area, versus taking up the bloodstream … and well, coating the heart and brain. She tossed her head at the kneeling Remus and transformed back into her human form.
He stared at her, slightly in shock, "What in hell was that potion?"
She frowned slightly and continued studying the decidedly dead Fenrir, "Well, ideally it would take away his curse and leave him just a man – the one thing he hated being … but well doesn't look like I had all the particulars down, does it?" She hummed to herself quietly and tapped her bottom lip.
"The idea is that the silver, being by legend the thing that can kill a werewolf, mixed with a wolfsbane leaf elixir, being the one thing werewolfs won't go near, neutralizes the bite and the toxins in the blood that come from it. I'm not even sure if it would take away the lycanthropy, but I do think it would at the very least keep the curse from being able to be spread." She glanced over at Remus.
He gaped at her slightly, "What … how?"
She sighed and transfigured Fenrir into a piece of birdseed and tossed it out the window. "Honestly Remus, Severus had notes everywhere about it and I just picked up where he left off. The Asian communities have different ways of managing werewolves, so I simply included them within the potion."
He looked at her with wide eyes, "And you … you think that maybe it will be a cure?"
She met his eyes and held them, "I don't know Remus - that obviously didn't work as he was supposed to still be alive right now." She shrugged, "I'm going to continue working on it. That's the least I can do for you after everything you've helped me with." She walked over to him and gave him a slight hug which he returned in full.
She nodded back at him and said, "By the way, don't keep shutting yourself off from everyone … it's exactly what He wants."
With that, she apparated away, leaving a stunned Remus sitting on the floor thinking over all that he had just seen and heard. A moment later though, his eyes opened wide and he clutched his throat lightly, saying to the empty room, "Dear Merlin, what if she did something to the Wolfsbane!"
Hermione landed in the Lestrange entrance hall and giggled to herself about what thoughts might be wandering through Remus' head. She loved the old werewolf, but it was always fun to mess with him a little. Keeps him on his toes.
She walked up to her room, her thoughts fully on the meeting that night. As she entered the room, her eyes darted to her bed and she sighed sadly when they landed on a well-made bed and no Draco. He always seemed to be there waiting for her, and she missed him.
She wandered into her closet and picked out a black leather floor-length dress. It had a scooped neckline and fitted bodice. The skirt flared out at the hips and had two slits on either side for easier movement. She placed a silver girdle around her hips that held her wand, healing potions and a few bottles of Veritaserum. She pinned her hair back so that it would stay out of her face but flow down her back.
She walked back out with a pair of flat-heeled, calf-length boots and sat on a settee that looked out over the grounds. The sun had set and the clouds were still slightly pink and red. She marveled at Nature's staying power amidst all the death and destruction that was visited upon Her.
She ran a hand along the empty bed and thought wistfully of the few times Draco and she had been able to have time alone together. I just wish I knew why he is so distant now. I mean I know I was hurt, but this mission is important! He should understand that! She walked to the window and trailed a finger along the pane.
She suddenly growled and turned quickly. I can't afford to be morose, I've got things to do. She decided to let 'V' take a bit of control, walked briskly out the door and headed towards the entry way of her home to apparate back to the Shack for the meeting.
She arrived to see Remus standing in one corner of his room while Draco and her parents were huddled in another shooting the wary werewolf hard glances. She grinned and walked over to Remus who shot her a glare.
"You could have warned me you know."
She grinned unabashedly, "Oh, Remus, there's going to be a meeting tonight at the Shack."
He rolled his eyes at her. "Gee, thanks. SO helpful."
She giggled and walked over to the other group, "Ok guys, he's not going to bite until tomorrow night."
Her mother grimaced at her, "V … that's not funny."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Aunt, you know how V is, she can be extremely immature sometimes." Hermione winced and he walked past her and shook hands with an extremely nervous Remus.
"Thank you for letting us appropriate your hideaway." Remus only nodded, rather at a lack for words at Draco's calm voice.
Soon other apparition pops were heard and most of the Order contingent had appeared. Tonks rushed over to Remus and they began whispering quietly about, Hermione assumed, the earlier attack. Bill and Charlie both gave the Lestranges a blank look and Hermione a large hug. Moody shook off his cloak and walked right up to Bellatrix, coldly saying, "Madame, you look healthier." She nodded in semi-shock and Rodolphus had to bite back a smile.
Draco looked on with a sneer and addressed Moody with, "Professor, it's been a long time."
Moody gave him a glance-over and replied, "Considerin' I wasn't your professor boy, it has indeed." V stifled a smirk and saw a few other Order members do the same.
She glanced towards the door and saw Molly, supported by Harry, holding a hankie up to her nose, sniffling slightly. She walked over to them hurriedly and helped Mrs. Weasley over to the bed. She knew that the meeting would be hardest on the Weasley matriarch.
Almost as though on cue, the Death Eater contingent apparated in as the others got settled. Lucius Malfoy led the others into the room, shaking the two older Lestranges' hands and nodding at his son. Moody and he shared a bit of a stare-off, Malfoy finally giving in and sticking his hand out. Moody took it and shook it rather harder than most normal people would and Lucius seemed to flex his hand slightly afterwards.
Zabini followed, stopping to chat quietly with Bill and Charlie, while Yaxley and Urquhart spoke with Remus and Tonks. Pritchard, Carrow, and Belby trailed the twins who were bouncing around Moody, basking in his shock of their spyhood. Their mum had known from the start, and Remus had suspected, so Moody was the only one to be shocked.
Lucius looked over at V, who was worriedly trying to calm Molly Weasley. He raised an eyebrow at her and walked over. She looked at him in slight horror, What the hell does he think he's doing?!
She felt Harry stiffen next to her as Lucius came up before them and bowed slightly to Molly. He held out a hand and said softly, "Might I help you to a chair Madame Weasley; I do believe we are to start soon."
Molly looked up at him with wide eyes and sighed softly, "That is very kind of you Lord Malfoy. I suppose we shall let bygones be bygones now?"
He looked down at her, a glint of something - V could have sworn was respect - in his eye, "I would like that Madame Weasley." With that he showed her over to a large plush chair he had transfigured and sat her down facing V at the front of the room.
V looked out over the large group which had settled into chairs and was watching her. Most members simply looked at her curiously; but Draco refused to meet her eyes and Blaise kept giving her winks, while the twins were shooing her to start talking.
She cleared her throat, "Ok, down to business. The Dark Lord is going to be out in public a week from now." She paused as everyone started murmuring. "Rather unorthodox, isn't it? He is planning to go on a date it so happens … with me." Voices began to be raised and everyone aside from her family and Draco were looking at her in shock.
"No, I'm not telling the details of why, so get over it. However, this would be an opportune time for us to strike." She looked around the room. "If the group were to hide within the restaurant, it would be a perfect time to end all of this. Then we could trap the rest of the Death Eaters in headquarters and keep them from escaping." Both Malfoys cleared their throats. Hermione nodded at the younger, since he had been first.
He stood and said coldly, "As well and good as that all sounds, He's not going to simply walk into a bistro and ask the waiter for a table. The restaurant He takes you to will be thoroughly screened the entire day leading up to His entrance. He will be joined by the entire Inner Circle as bodyguards, and He will have the streets outside patrolled most of the day in preparation. The staff will be replaced by those of the lower echelons, and it will hardly be cake for anyone to simply slip in to spy on the Dark Lord, let alone get away with killing Him!"
V nodded and said quietly, "Fair enough, so how might we get around those potential barriers within the restaurant?"
Harry stood and said, "Well my invisibility cloak would help. I can take at least one other person with me in there." V nodded at him and took notes.
Tonks stood and said quietly, "I could morph into one of the Death Eaters that is supposed to be patrolling also." Lucius seemed to like this option and nodded at V.
Molly piped up in a wavering but calm voice, "We could key portkeys, but instead of keying them to a place, we key them to your location, V. Then you could use a coin, much like the DA and alert us when we need to appear." Everyone looked around at each other and nodded in excited agreement.
Moody growled, "Best idea yet, Molly."
Rodolphus nodded, "I agree, that is definitely the best way to go about it. But I do think Potter has a point with the invisibility cloak. If the Dark Lord were to see him portkey in, Potter would be dead on the spot. If he were hidden and cloaked for a few days before in the restaurant, then perhaps we would have an element of surprise."
The others nodded at this and Harry sent Rodolphus a questioning glance, "So I would go days in advance?"
Bellatrix spoke up, "Yes, that seems the best way. You'd be in a restaurant, so no fear of food, really." He nodded at her slightly and seemed to go back to thinking.
V looked around and nodded at Lucius, "Lord Malfoy, you had something to add earlier?"
He cleared his throat and said, "Yes, keeping the Death Eaters contained is all well and good, but the Dark Lord will call them to battle. It will not be as easy as you may think."
Remus stood quickly, "Well we could incorporate the rest of the Order with this, I think. Perhaps mass magical-cages would help? We shall have to ensure that they stand trial, versus merely killing everyone off."
Some grumbled but V cut in, "He's right. And with you all to help us, we can ensure they don't get away with it this time."
The rest if the group nodded in acquiescence and she commented, "The trials after shall be key." She glanced around to see if anyone had anything to add, nodded and said, "Alrighty then, that's the layout. We'll get down to details as the day grows closer and we know more about what is going on. Something we might look into is a way of seeing which Death Eater is which, so we aren't hexing one another." She nodded at the twins, "Perhaps a revealing powder or something?"
They grinned at each other, "We've got just the stuff!"
She raised an eyebrow at them while Yaxley and Tonks said at the same time, "Is it going to kill anyone?"
The entire group looked at each other and then started chuckling, the ice broken by a similar reaction. After V had said her last, the group stood up and began to mingle slightly, both sides interested in what made the other want to help.
V sat back and watched the crowd, hope bubbling in her chest for the first time that the plan might actually work, especially if these people were able to put aside their differences for a similar cause.
She watched Draco as he talked with the twins and their brothers, his face a mask of calm and politeness. She wondered at how he had shut himself off from everything, We may win this war, but I might have lost something even more important … and I don't know why. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Lucius Malfoy's face. She saw his slightly worried glance and shrugged.
She averted her eyes from his own and studied his face. Draco and he shared the same hair and aristocratic features, but Draco's were a bit softer, she thought, while the Malfoy Sr.'s eyes were more of a blue than a grey. Draco had gained the same musculature as his father over the years, but maintained a bit of youthful swagger, while his father had more of a prowl. He reclaimed her eyes and murmured slightly, "Don't pay him mind, V. He is too prideful for his own good."
She glance at the man in question, who was now laughing slightly with his group and said softly, "I'm just not sure the problem is him." Lucius walked away to chat with Remus and Tonks while V attempted to reach out her consciousness to Draco's. She felt his blocks up and tapped on them tentatively. His eyes shot towards her and narrowed. She knew she could break them down without much bother, but he clearly didn't want her in anyways. She took a deep breath, looked over to where her mother and Molly Weasley were talking and … sobbing? I don't even want to know, nodded at her father and whisked out the door.
Walking into the chilled night outside, she looked at the starry sky and transformed into her dragon form, hoping that perhaps she could make do with the memories for the rest of her time. She took off, stretching her wings in the moonlight, unaware of a still figure on the ground watching her every movement with regret.