Chapter 5

Brrrrrring!...brrrrrrring!... Hermione rushed to the phone in her small bedroom. The room had its own private line and she had given the number to her parents, Dumbledore, and Harry and Ron.

"Hullo?" she asked, picking it up on the last ring. Silence. "Hullo," she repeated. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard someone sigh at the other end of the line. Then:

"It's so good to talk on the phone with someone who knows how to use it." Immediately, she laughed.

"Harry, you scared me!"

"Sorry," he apologized. "But you know what it's like trying to communicate with Ron over the phone.

"Point. So, what's up?" she asked.

"Well, I just wondered how you were doing," he said.

"America is a pretty exciting place. It's very...busy," she explained.

"Yes, but how have you been?" Harry asked again.

"I'm alright. It's nice to get away. I miss you, though," she admitted.

"You realize that if you stay there until Draco is gone, you won't see me, either?" Harry reminded her.

"I never said I left to escape Draco," she protested hurriedly.

"You didn't have to," he replied. "Everyone noticed. Everyone."

"What are you saying?" she asked.

"Draco asked about you," Harry told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, hearing that certainly isn't going to help me," she declared.


Hermione looked both ways before she crossed the street. She couldn't help it; with her luck, some crazy American would come speeding up the street and flatten her like a pancake. Of course, it was rush hour and even the sidewalks were jammed. She walked briskly, trying to get around two bummish-looking people. She failed, because each time she tried to pass them, the space around them narrowed. Isn't that how it always is?

"...muggles these days don't know how ta walk!"

Hermione's ears picked up a piece of what one of the bums was saying. She smiled to herself and kept listening. After all, it's not every day she would meet an American wizard. Or, eavesdrop on one.

"Don't worry," said the other. "Once...gets...the new Dark Lord will arise...and then there won't be any muggles left!"

Hermione's heart stopped. She had to have imagined what that man just said. A horrible thought popped into her head. These are a couple of the few Death Eaters that escaped. She felt foolish, but she had to find out if she recognized them. She pulled a small notepad out of her bag and ran up to the men, tapping one on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," she said. "Did either of you drop this?"

They looked at her with disgust. "No, we did not." She desperately searched their faces for any familiarity. It wasn't there.

"Oh. My mistake," she said, her disappointed clearly written across her face, not that they would have noticed. The wheels in her head were spinning. What on earth do they mean, "when the new Dark Lord arises"! It was like sixth year all over again. She should tell Harry.


Draco glanced around the dining room of his huge, empty mansion. Without his mother there, it seemed so...cold. He started setting the table. Alyssa was coming over for dinner. She said there was an important person she wanted him to meet. He couldn't imagine why the person would be so important, but when it came to Alyssa, he didn't often question her. She loved the rich and powerful life. There were times he thought she was only marrying him for his money...and his name. But he had put that aside, because she loved him and he loved her. Didn't he? There was a knock on the door, and he went to open it. Alyssa stepped in bringing along a man dressed in all black. His face was cleanly shaven and his clothes looked brand-new. Draco couldn't believe it.

"Crabbe!"

"Mr. Malfoy!" the man exclaimed. "How nice to see you again. You haven't talked to Vincent in so long!" Draco was beyond speech.

"You...you are a Death Eater! What are you doing alive? And in my house! Alyssa, did you have any idea who this was?" he demanded, anger burning through his body. She laughed and shook her head.

"Draco, come on. He very obviously has changed his ways if I am associating with him. How could you think that I am on the Dark side?" She placed her hand on his chest seductively. "Now, sit down and let's have a nice dinner. I'm sure there's much to talk about."


A/N: Well, there's a bit more to chew on. I'm soooooo sorry that I'm such a horrible updater. And for the shortness of my chapters. I'm really trying though. I'd like to finish this so I have two complete stories to brag about. I don't want to rush this though, because I want it to measure up to the first story, which I received pretty good reviews on. Please review! And don't give up. It'll get better! And I'll try to update more often. Love ya!

Amber