And if we dream - Draco Malfoy/ OC

Chapter 33 - Lockets, Elves and Revalations.

Summary: Like some magnetic force, like some unbreakable bond she was drawn back to him again and again. And now, staying away was an inconceivable notion. "Always." she murmured, one hand finding his, the other tangling into his platinum hair, "Always."

-….-

I don't want to be one of THOSE writers but my reviews seem to be dwindling, I really do love comments and anecdotes and criticism (of the nice kind ;P) so if you have anything at all to say about new chapters, please do! It might help me improve or it might just make me happy! Thank you so much for sticking by me as always in my sporadic updates! You lovelies really are the best! xx

Enjoy the chapter!

-….-

Avery laughed loudly as Fred levitated some heavy looking furniture straight into Bill Weasley's shoulders, knocking him off balance, Arthur shouting angrily at the twin. Bill immediately turning on his brother, scarred face angry and lunging at him, hard but still playful.

The Weasley family could always be counted on to cheer Avery up and the thing was, she should be cheerful, there was going to be a wedding today. Weddings were beautiful occasions, a celebration of love and a life to be shared together, not to mention that Fluer had been driving the lot of them to near tears with the decorating and preparations, if nothing else they could celebrate finally getting a rest from all of the wedding insanity.

Avery had not woken up cheerful though, in fact quite the opposite, she had woken up like every morning since they had left Hogwarts with Draco at the forefront of her mind despite her efforts to keep him out. She always wondered where he was, if he was okay, what he was going through, it kept her awake until the early hours of every morning and plagued her the moment she reentered the waking world. This morning however, though it was Draco she had thought of had been different. Instead of imagining any mistreatment he may or may not be suffering at the hands of the Dark Lord, she imagined him in his formal robes, neat and handsome as he had always been, sitting beside her as Bill and Fleur said their vows. She had imagined him here, with her as part of the group, at peace and welcomed.

In a way, that had hurt more than thinking about the reality of her current life.

Now though, as the brothers, one of whom had been away for a long time, fought in the dirt Avery felt a lightness fill her up. Today was a day to be happy, not to imagine what could and probably would never be. Besides, any minute now Mrs Weasley or Fleur was going to run out her, frazzled and rushed off of their feet and tell the brothers off for fighting. After that everybody would be back to work and there would be no time to think.

Before they could however Avery made her way back to the burrow, deciding it would be sensible to get ready now rather than rush later. As she did she passed Harry and Ginny in the kitchen in what looked like an intimate moment. She smiled and snuck through towards the stair case. At the top of the landing having made it up without creaking any of the floorboards she met George, carrying a toothbrush.

"Don't bother them too much." Avery said, knowing full well George would realize what she meant the moment he entered the kitchen and that he would also completely ignore her. To his credit, he managed to wait until she had rounded the corner before he moved at a faster speed down the stairs. Nosey bugger, she thought.

It didn't take her long to get showered and dressed, saving her makeup for later, especially since she could hear Mrs Weasley summoning everybody into the yard. She moved quickly, not wanting to face Mrs Weasley's wrath if she took too long.

"Bloody hell." Ron grumbled as he appeared behind her dressed in his wedding attire, "It doesn't stop does it?"

"Not until after the wedding Ron!" Avery replied, "It'll all be finished by tonight and then we can breathe."

"I can't wait." he grumbled as they stepped into the yard, the last ones if Mrs Weasley's exasperated glare was anything to go by. They took a space each around the massive swath of thick fabric on the floor, wands at the ready.

"Come on then!" Mr Weasley called, "All together now! One- Two- Three."

Under the combined force of the groups magic the tent began to rise, slowly forming its peaks and hollows and poles. It was huge, plenty big enough to hold a wedding under.

"How's it looking your end, son?" Mr Weasley called earning a response from all four of those present. Avery grinned, just as a dark figure emerged from the fields opposite. She tensed immediately, hand tightening around her wand before she realized just whom she was looking at, her eyes widened.

"Bloody hell." George spoke, "What's the Minister of Magic doing here?"

"Did you invite him Bill?" Avery heard Fleur ask quietly as she met Harry's eyes across the field. He could only be here for one reason.

"I wish to speak to Mr Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Greenwood and Mr Weasley." the minister spoke gravely, "Inside."

"Which Mr Weasley?" The twins asked, grinning ear to ear.

"Ronald." The minister did not miss a beat, already heading into the burrow.

"Make yourself at home." Bill mumbled under his breath.

"We should probably go." Hermione said, "It could be important."

Avery nodded and followed after her friend. Ron and Harry trailing behind them. They found the minster inside the small, packed kitchen.

"To what do we owe the pleasure Minister?" Harry asked, with no small amount of sarcasm.

"I think we both know the answer to that question Mr Potter." he drawled, gesturing to the other room. The foursome seated themselves, probably looking extremely silly, the boys dressed smartly in their formal robes, Avery in her beautiful sparkly dress but with no make up and her hair a disaster. Hermione the opposite, make up done but wearing her everyday clothes.

On the table in front of them he placed a parcel, wrapped in cloth.

"And this is?" Harry asked, in reply the minister pulled a folded piece of parchment from his pocket.

"Here in is set forth the last will and testament of Albus Percival Woolfrick Brian Dumbledore."

Avery gulped, a lump forming in her throat, she knew her friends must be feeling the same way, especially if Harry tensing beside her was anything to go by.

"First," the minister continued, "to Ronald Billious Weasley, I leave my Deluminator. A device of my own making in the hope that when things seem most dark it will show him the light."

Avery watched enthralled as he handed over the strangely wrapped object, Ron took it gingerly as if afraid it might blow up in his hand. "Dumbledore left this for me?" he asked in awe as he unwrapped it, inside was an odd looking object that Avery had never seen before.

"Brilliant," the ginger said, examining it, "but.. what is it?"

The minister shrugged even as Ron pressed down on the top, opening the device, as he did the light from the lamp in the corner rushed towards him, whooshing past Avery and Harrys faces and encased itself inside the object.

He flicked it again and the light returned to the lamp. "Wicked." he grinned.

The minister blinked and turned back to the will before him, "To Hermione Jean Granger," he read, "I leave my copy of The tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hope that she find it entertaining and instructive."

He handed the book over, and Avery found herself nodding along as Ron gushed over his childhood favorites, "Oh come on- Babbity Rabbity?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione who looked on perplexed.

"That was one of my favorites too Ron." Avery said, Matilda had read it to her on a number of occasions.

"To Avery Ophellia Greenwood-" the minister interrupted, Avery sat forward in her seat, "I leave a mirror of my own creation in the hope that when it seems that what lies ahead is too hard she will reflect on what is, what has been and what can be again- no matter how hopeless or unlikely." Avery's brows furrowed as she leaned forward to take the mirror from the minister. She unwrapped it from the cloth that covered it to see a silver hand held mirror, intricate etchings and twisted metal curled around the edges of the glass in the middle, delicate vines twisting up from the handle and culminating in a sculpted phoenix on the top, taking flight. Her own face stared out from the mirrored glass in the middle.

"It's beautiful." Avery whispered, running her finger along of the sculpted vines.

"To Harry James Potter," the minister followed on, leaving Avery to admire the gift she had been left, "I leave the snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill."

The minister handed over the snitch, still wrapped in cloth, Avery found herself holding her breath but nothing happened when Harry took it. The ministers shoulders slumped, he had been expecting something too it seemed.

"Is that it then?" Harry asked

"Not quite-" the minister replied, "Dumbledore left you a second bequest."

Avery wondered what else had been given, the gifts had been rather random this far though Avery knew she would always keep this mirror close to her.

"The sword of Godric Gryffindor- unfortunately the sword was not Dumbledore's to give away as an important historical artifact it belongs-"

"To Harry." Hermione interrupted, "It belongs to Harry, it came to him when he most needed it in the Chamber of secrets.

"The sword may present itself to any worthy Gryfindor," the minister argued, "that does not make it that wizards property and in any event the current whereabouts of the sword is currently unknown."

Avery jolted and felt Harry do the same beside her. "Excuse me?"

"The sword is missing." The minister said, staring hard at them. He turned his attention to Harry, "I don't know what you're up to Mr Potter but you can't fight this war on your own. He is too strong." The minister stood up with a flourish and left without wishing them a goodbye.

They sat for a moment in silence until Ron broke it with, appropriately, "What in Merlin's name just happened?"

...

The wedding had been lovely, the weather had held and Fleur looked incredible in her feathered gown. The party afterwards was better. There was so much laughter and ale and wine and food that Avery and her friends almost forgot that they were in the middle of a war and became teenagers again, dancing and laughing fitfully.

"You should dance with her Ron!" Avery said as she stumbled up beside him free from her dance with Lupin, who had taken a moment from guarding the tent to actually see the festivities, he now twirled the dance floor with Tonks in his arms.

"That's not likely." Ron mumbled, still staring at Hermione.

"Well," Avery rolled her eyes, "Dance with me then!" The upbeat music and infectious laughter around them was enough to dull even Ron's sulky mood as Avery moved them around the floor on clumsy feet.

"Harry's making the rounds!" Avery told Ron, gesturing to her friend who was talking to an old man whom she recognized from the papers. Something to do with Dumbledore.

"Can't take any time off that one!" Ron said.

"Did you meet Luna's dad?" Avery asked, "He seems nice! A little mad though!"

Before Ron could reply, the air turned abruptly cold and the music fell silent with a screech. For a moment Avery thought the world might have frozen around her, all sound and movement gone, but soon a brilliant blue light flooded the tent, patrons falling over themselves to get away. A patronus.

Oh no, Avery thought. Something has happened.

"The ministry has fallen." A voice spoke that Avery immediately recognized to belong to Kingsley Shacklebolt. "The minister of magic is dead. They are coming."

The patronus repeated that last refrain over and over, they are coming, they are coming and even as it continued people began to panic.

"Merlin." Avery whispered looking around her, wondering what the plan of action was, even as she looked for Ron who had been standing beside her only seconds ago she felt herself being swept along with the crowd. People began apparating, summoning their modes of transport, running towards the burrow and the nearest floo line.

It hadn't even been a minute before Deatheaters began stampeding the tent and all hell broke loose. Avery didn't know where they were going to go but she and Hermione, mostly Hermione had already planned ahead for something like this. They were packed and ready to go, every thing in Hermiones deceptive black bag.

I just didn't think it would be so soon, she thought running in circles, avoiding flames and hexes, searching for her friends, I thought we would at lease be able to say goodbye to everyone.

Even as she ran head first into Fred she could hear Hermione calling behind her, "Go!" Fred shouted pushing her full bodily backwards, "They're over there!" Avery barely had time to nod or breathe before she collided with Harry and Ron, the former of which wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders.

With a sickening whoosh they were gone.

...

It wasn't any better where they landed, a large muggle vehicle coming straight for them at high speed. They avoided collision and stood breathing heavily on the sidewalk. Muggles bustled around them carrying shopping bags, shouting at children who really should be in bed at that late hour and muggle vehicles blared noises all the way down the road as far as Avery could see.

"Where are we?" Ron asked as they made their way through the crowd following Hermione. Avery wondered the same thing, they could be on a different planet for all she knew.

"Shaftsbury Avenue." Hermione answered as Avery avoided colliding with a man painted entirely in silver, she wanted to ask why someone would do that but knew now wasn't the time, how did he stay so still without a freezing charm? "I used to come to the theatre here with mum and dad." Hermione continued, "I don't know why I thought of it!"

Hermione led them to a relatively quiet empty alleyway already pulling changes of clothes from her bag.

"We need to change." she said, explaining to the boys about her undetectable extension charm she had placed on the bag.

They changed quickly, no embarrassment in front of each other, there was no time, nor inclination to ogle each other right now. Avery immediately felt better in a pair of old jeans, shirt and flat shoes, carelessly bundling her lovely dress into a ball and shoving it in to the bag along with the others wedding attire. Jeans were much more conductive to what they were about to do.

Hermione took them next to an empty cafe, off of the main road where they could talk almost freely.

"What about the people at the wedding?" Harry asked before they had even fully settled, "Should we go back?"

"They're after you mate, we'd be putting everyone in more danger if we went back." Ron answered. Avery agreed fiddling with the mirror Dumbledore had left for her, it had been wrapped in the shirt she wore now and she hadn't yet returned it to Hermione's bag.

"Coffee?" An accented girl wearing what Avery knew to be earphones asked them, startling Avery from her musings.

"Cappuccino." Hermionie said, all three friends following suit, Avery didn't even know if she liked coffee.

"So where do we go from here? The leaky couldron?"

"No." Avery shook her head.

"It's too dangerous." Hermione agreed, "If Voldemort really has taken over the ministry then none of the old places are safe. Everyone from the wedding will have gone underground, into hiding."

"My rucksack with all my things I've left it at the Burrow." Harry groaned.

"It's in the bag." Avery said as Hermione shook her head.

"We've had all of the essentials packed for days- just in case." Hermione explained as two work men stepped into the cafe. Avery looked down to avoid eye contact and startled when she noticed something strange in the mirror in her hands. She could have sworn to Merlin himself that she had seen someone else in the mirror. She couldn't say any features or specifics but for a shock of white blond hair. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Harry's panicked shout. "Get down!" he cried. On instinct Avery ducked to the ground under their table and pulled her wand from her pocket.

It couldn't have been more than a minute before the wizards, Deatheaters they had to be were felled. Avery's wand warm in her hand. She stood, picking up the mirror from where it had fallen under her seat.

They moved through the wreckage of the cafe, locking doors and Ron removing the light with his deluminator. The waitress having run at Hermione's urging.

"This one is named Rall, he was on the astronomy tower the night Snape killed Dumbledore." Harry said, nudging a chubby blonde guy with his foot.

"This one is Dolohov." Ron said, "I recognize him from the wanted posters. So what are we gonna do with you then? You'd kill us if it were the other way around wouldn't you."

"If we kill them they'll know we were here." Harry said.

Avery sighed, Merlin knows she would have loved to be the one that shot the killing curse into the bastards chest but Harry was right. They couldn't kill them.

"Suppose he did MadEye how would you feel then?" Ron asked

"We're not murderers, we're not like them." Avery interjected.

"It's better we wipe their memories." Harry instructed.

"Of course." Ron said, leaving the job to Hermione.

"I'll do this one." Avery said, moving towards the other one, Rall. "Obliviate." she murmured to the unconscious man.

They left the cafe quickly, not waiting for any muggle law enforcement to arrive and cause more trouble.

"So where do we go now then?" Ron asked "We need to get off of the street and get somewhere safe."

Avery glanced around her at the hustle and bustle and couldn't imagine anywhere being any less safe. Any one of these seemingly normal muggles could be a disguise, like those work men, the enemy just waiting to pounce whilst they have their guard down.

"I know the place." Harry said, reaching out to his friends, "I'll take us there."

Avery grabbed his arm first, her trust in Harry had never wavered in all the time she had known him and it wouldn't start to now. Hermione and Ron followed suit immediately after and the sickening feeling of motion overcame Avery again.

Once they had stopped, her stomach settling they found themselves before a familiar building, the attached brick buildings immediately moving and growing to allow them entrance.

The door opened for them, recognizing Harry or pure bloods or strong magic, Avery didn't know and she wasn't so sure either if she wanted to go in, but she stepped onto the threshold anyway, into the thick darkness before them.

As the door clicked shut behind the hallway was illuminated and thick layered dust on the floor began whirling into a twister like form, to the four friends horror the dust began to take shape and Dumbledore appeared menacingly, shooting towards them. Hermione screamed and Avery stepped back, bashing into the front door as Ron jumped back onto her toe. The form stopped however and exploded with a poof before it touched any of them but for a find layer of dust that settled on their hair and clothes.

"What the-" Avery started.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked first.

"Probably Mad Eyes idea." Hermione replied. "In case Snape decided to come snooping."

"I almost forgot just how crazy Mad Eye really was." Avery said, "Crazy but clever. I would have ran from here screaming if someone I'd killed had appeared like that."

"Who have you killed?" Ron asked incredulously.

"I don't mean-" Avery started only to be interrupted by a crash from somewhere in the house. Ron apparently hadn't heard it because he repeated "Who have you killed?"

"It was hypothetical, Ron!" Avery hissed, slapping a hand over his mouth.

Hermione murmured a spell and confirmed that they were in fact alone in the house. Avery could have guessed as much, a place had never felt so empty, so desolate and dead and Avery had never felt so alone and isolated, her three friends the only people in the entire world she could completely trust and depend on at this moment in time.

It was late and they were all exhausted so they found a room big enough to allow them all to bed down, they wouldn't risk being alone. They settled in with wands at hand, covered with musty blankets and resting on old pillows.

"Goodnight." Avery murmured as she settled on her side, wand laying on the floor next to Dumbledore's - her mirror. And even as she closed her eyes she thought she saw another flash, an eye, a bridge of a nose that looked awfully familiar to that of Fred- or George. She was asleep though before her brain even registered the fact.

It only seemed like a few seconds that her eyes had been closed before she felt someone shaking her awake. "What!" she snorted grabbing her wand.

"It's me!" Hermione said, "Harry's gone."

Avery groaned, standing, "Bloody hell Harry!" she grumbled, "I suppose we're splitting up?"

With an understanding they split apart searching for their trouble attracting friend.

"Harry! Hermione! Ave!" Ron called, "Where are you? I think I found something!"

Avery followed his voice up the stairs and came across him stood outside an open door. "Lovely." Hermione said sarcastically from inside the doorway.

Ron sighed and pointed out the door plaque.

"Regulus Archurus Black." Hermione read aloud.

Almost without thought Avery responded, "R.A.B."

The bedroom held nothing that could help them, old personal items, sentimental trinkets that meant nothing to those searching.

"So R.A.B is Sirius' brother?" Ron said, in the kitchen, where defeated they had returned from their search.

"Yes. But did he actually destroy the real Horcrux?"

"And how will we find out?" Avery asked.

A noise interrupted their musings, glass or metal clanging together.

"Through there." Harry whispered, moving to the door, he opened it swiftly and Avery felt all of the tension that had built up insider her release at the sight of Kreacher, she couldn't remember ever having been so pleased to see the ugly little thing.

"You been spying on us have you?" Harry shouted

"Kreacher has been watching." The elf replied, voice gravely.

"Maybe he knows where the real locket is." Hermione supplied.

"You ever seen this before?" Harry questioned him, shoving the fake locket into his wrinkly little face.

"It's master Regulus' locket." he eventually told them.

"But there were two weren't there?"

"Kreacher doesn't know where the other locket is."

"yes!" Hermione said, patience running out, "But did you ever see it? Was it in this house?"

"Filthy mudblood!" the elf spat angrily towards her, "dirty little-"

Avery jumped as the elf cried "Blood traitor Weasley" at an attacking Ron and jumped behind her own legs, bony little hands grabbing onto her jeans.

She could hear the elf mumbling about blood and Greenwoods. Apparently she was not a blood traitor in Kreachers eyes.

"Tell her!" Harry shouted and even Avery cringed a little from his anger.

"Come on Kreacher." Avery said, reaching an unthreatening hand behind her, "if you wont tell Hermione then tell me- " she turned around so that she could kneel in front of the elf, Harry safely behind her. "Did you ever see the locket here?"

"Yes." The elf replied, much more forthright, "It was here, in this house amongst other objects."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked from above them.

"Before Master Regulus died he ordered Kreacher to destroy it but no matter how hard Kreacher tried he couldn't do it." the elf explained, backing away from all of them.

Avery stood back up from her crouch and heard Harry ask, "Where is it now? Did someone take it?"

"He came-" Kreacher said, "in the night, he took many things including the locket"

"Who took it Kreacher?" Avery asked.

"Mundungus - Mundungus Fletcher." the elf answered. Avery sighed, the rat!

"Find him." Harry ordered and Kreacher was gone without hesitation.

"You should have let me hit the thing!" Ron growled. "Why was he nice to you anyway? Doesn't he realize you're here with Harry Potter?" Ron directed towards Avery.

"Because my family aren't know muggle associates." Avery replied, "In fact quite the opposite. No offence Mione."

"None taken." Hermione replied.

"Still should have let me hit it." Ron grumbled.

"That's hardly impotant right now Ron." Avery sighed, "Mundungus took the locket. We need to get the locket, forget the bloody elf!"

"Yeah, I suppose."

-...-

It seemed like an awfully long time before Kreacher returned with any news on Mundungus and the four friends found themselves with very little to do. Ron and Hermione found themselves on the piano as Ron butchered a familiar song, Harry sat forlornly staring at the floating snitch that Dumbledore had given him and Avery found herself in a familiar position on the couch opposite, staring into the mirror, unseeing of her own reflection but looking for something.

Avery took no notice of Hermione sitting down next to her, opposite Harry until her friend spoke.

"They have flesh memories." she said, and for a second Avery almost asked her what she meant until she realized that Hermione was in fact talking to Harry and not her. "When Scrimger first gave it to you I thought it might open at your touch, that Dumbledore had hidden something inside it."

"It didn't." Harry said.

"There's something about these gifts," Avery murmured, vaguely aware of Ron fiddling with the wizard radio in the background. "About this mirror."

A flash of white hair and pale skin in the glass before her, familiar, a feeling like de ja vu. "I just can't-"

Another crash in the adjoining room. Avery followed Harry and Hermione into the kitchen and barked out a laugh when she saw Mundungus Fletcher struggling with Kreacher wrapped around his head and Dobby around a leg. "I have returned with the thief." Kreacher said shutting the door behind the man he had allowed to fall flat on his face.

Hermione disarmed Mundungus. "Well done Kreacher." Avery said softly. "And you Dobby." She reached out to the smaller elf, who smiled and pressed her hand against his big head in greeting. "Mistress Greenwood. So lovely to see you."

"You too Dobby, we missed you." Avery grinned.

"What do you think you're playing at? Sending these two after me?" Mundaungus asked.

"Dobby saw Kreacher in Diagon Alley, which Dobby thought was curious and then Dobby heard Kreacher mention Harry Potters name-"

"It's okay Kreacher, let him talk." Avery said as she watched the other elf try to interrupt Dobbys speech.

"-and then Dobby saw Kreacher talking with the thief Mundungus-"

"I'm no thief!" Mundungus said.

"We all know you're a thief Dung, don't bother trying to hide it." Ron said before he greeted Dobby in a similar fashion to Avery.

"Listen!" the thief shouted as wizard, witch and elf closed in on him. "I panicked that night alright! Can I help it if Mad Eye fell off of his broom?"

"Tell the truth!" Hermione spat. Avery grinned at Kreacher as he repeatedly poked their guest with a pointy object.

"When you turned this place over- don't deny it! you found a locket am I right?" Harry questioned.

"Why? Was it valuable?"

"Have you still got it?"

"I bleedin' give it away didn't I!" Mundungas spoke, "There I was flogging me wares in Diagon Alley when some Ministry hag comes up and asks to see me license, said she's a mind to lock me up, would have done too if she hadn't taken a fancy to that locket."

"Who was she?" Harry asked

"I don't kno-" Mundungus began only to pause staring intently at the mess of newspapers he had knocked on to the floor in his retreat, "Well- she's there- " he stammered, "Look. That's her."

Avery gulped. "Umbridge."

-...-

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We'll get Draco back soon!