Straightening his dress robes for about the twelfth time, Regina forced herself to stand back and let Henry breathe. He arched an eyebrow at her, swatting her hands away as they moved to smooth down his hair.
"Mom!" He complained. Then he looked at her carefully. "Are you sure you're not coming to the wedding?"
"Certain, dear."
"But what if something happens? I mean, all those members of the Order in one place…"
She chuckled. "That's why I'm not worried, dear. I'm sure they'll be able to handle you."
"Actually, I meant what if the Death Eaters target it?"
"I know that's what you meant, Henry." Regina assured him with a sigh. "If anything happens, stick close to Tonks or… well, any of the Order. But I doubt it'll be an issue. If there was anything planned Severus would have contacted me."
"Would he?" Henry demanded darkly.
"Of course he would. Uncle Sev knows that you will be there and he would never allow harm to come to you."
Still looking unconvinced, Henry glanced in the mirror once more, before turning to face his mother. "Ready?"
She nodded and led the way outside. Taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze she Disapparated, transporting them across the country to the building where Bill and Fleur were getting married. As much as she was loathed to get close enough to risk bumping into anyone, Regina wasn't willing to risk her son being on his own as they approached the house.
Keeping her eyes on the uneven ground, Regina kept pace with Henry, listening to him chattering excitedly about the upcoming wedding. He kept mentioning various treats that Mrs Weasley had been perfecting over the last couple of weeks, promising that he would sneak some of them home for her to sample. Regina chuckled, thanking him and shaking her head at his ability to forget the dark cloud that was hovering over all of them in the face of the promise of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Tart and No Melt Ice Cream.
He rushed ahead as they neared The Burrow and Mrs Weasley, dressed in what appeared to be brand new Amethyst coloured robes, opened the door apparently having spotted them coming. She patted Henry on the cheek and moved aside so that he could go past her into the house.
"Thank you, Molly." Regina said, smiling weakly. "Please give my congratulations to Bill and Fleur."
"I don't see why you won't stay." The older woman replied bluntly, sighing. "Your invitation wasn't dependant on Emma, you know."
"I know that… I just… I don't think it's a good idea."
"Don't you even want to stay for Henry's sake?" Molly tried a different tack. Regina was touched that the woman seemed to want her there, but she refused to change her mind. "To make sure he's safe?"
"I trust you to look after my son." Regina assured her with a smile. "Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to take him in if anything happens to me."
Molly looked uncomfortable. "You are alright, aren't you?"
"Of course."
"Nothing's happened, has it? I mean… of course I'm happy to take Henry if needs be, but… have you any reason to think it will?"
"Nothing is guaranteed, is it?" Regina pointed out. "When I heard about the night Potter was moved and how hard Bella tried to kill Dora… it just made me realise that I had to do something to ensure Henry is taken care if. If my mother or Bella even suspect that I am working with the Order then things will get very unpleasant indeed." She glanced around quickly, before raising the sleeve of her top slightly to reveal the mark tattooed onto the skin of her left forearm. "This has been burning more and more… I will have to respond soon, before I anger them too much. Perhaps I will visit mother today, while Henry is safely out of the way."
"Gina… don't do anything rash." Molly cautioned, reaching out and rubbing her upper arm gently.
"I won't."
As voices from behind Molly reached their ears, Regina dragged her sleeve hastily back into place and folded her arms across her chest. The door, which had been pulled closed, was wrenched open and the brunette found herself face-to-face with her ex-girlfriend. Emma seemed just as thrown by the meeting as Regina was, but she was unable to cover it up as well.
"Emma."
"R-Regina… I… I didn't know you'd be…"
"I'm not." The older witch assured her, smiling tightly. "I was just dropping Henry off." She glanced over Emma's outfit, feeling her heart clench painfully in her chest. "You look beautiful."
The blonde blushed and fiddled with the clutch bag in her hands. It was a deep blue that went well with the lighter, sky blue colour of her dress. The dress itself was fitted and clung in all the right places. The neckline plunged, although not indecently, its edge encrusted with tiny jewels that sparkled in the light. Regina had to clench her hands at her sides to resist the urge to sweep one of Emma's long blonde curls away from her face.
"Err… thanks?" Emma clearly didn't know what to do with the compliment. "I was just… you're wanted in the marquee, Molly."
"Right." A look of distinct panic set in on the redheaded witch's face and she retreated into the house without even saying goodbye.
"Well, I'll… I'll be off." Regina said simply. "Enjoy the wedding. Pass on my congratulations to the happy couple. I'll come and collect Henry later."
Not waiting for Emma to reply, she turned on her heels and began striding back across the grassy expanse to the boundary of the Weasleys' land where she would be able to Disapparate. Regina had known that she would probably bump into Emma, fate seemed determined to inflict pain on her, but she didn't know what she had been expecting. It had definitely been more painful than she had imagined.
Deciding to bite the bullet the witch Apparated, not to her own home but to the home of her mother. She was under no illusions that she could end up in a great deal more pain than she was already feeling, but part of Regina was hoping that that would be the case. The pain that her mother and sister could inflict on her would, at least, go some way to erasing the pain that she had inflicted on herself through her almost callous dismissal of Emma.
She could almost feel the eyes watching her as she strode confidently up the long driveway to the front of her mother's home. The stone pillars on either side of the doorway felt as though they were pressing in on her, fencing her in so that she couldn't escape while she waited for the ring of the doorbell to be answered.
"Well, well, well!" Bellatrix singsonged opening the door and smirking at her youngest sister. "Look what the thestrals dragged in."
"Bella." Regina nodded, stepping past her and into the shadowy hallway of the manor house. "How are you?"
"Excited!"
A shadow of terror flashed over Regina's face as she wondered just why her sister was excited, but her mother's voice from the darkened doorway that led to the parlour prevented Bellatrix from saying anything more.
"Regina. Come in."
Glancing at her with a grin, Bellatrix led the way to the room where their mother was waiting. Cora was sitting in her chair in front of the fire, looking as poised and regal as ever. She didn't make any attempt to stand in greeting, simply indicating that the younger witch should take the armchair closest to hers. Warily, Regina did as she was bid, perching on the edge of the seat and waiting for her mother to speak first.
"How are you, my darling? How is Henry? Is he not with you?"
"No, Mother. He is visiting a friend."
"A shame." Cora replied. "But no matter. Perhaps this is better."
Regina frowned in confusion. "Better?"
"I'm glad you visited." The witch said, rising from her seat and walking over to the mantelpiece. She retrieved a scroll of parchment and unfurled it quickly. "You can make yourself useful, for once."
"Useful? How?"
"There is to be a wedding this afternoon. Most of the Order of the Phoenix, along with the Potter boy and a great many blood traitors, will be there." Cora said, causing the blood to turn to ice in Regina's veins. "The Dark Lord wishes to make the most of their distraction by finally taking over the Ministry."
"Finally… how?"
"As we speak the ranks are descending on the Ministry, ready to kill that sad, pathetic excuse for a Minister of Magic and gain control."
"Who is to take his place?" Regina asked, attempting to sound more interested than worried.
"Someone who will do the Dark Lord's bidding and restore wizards to their rightful position."
"You said I could be helpful?"
Cora smirked. "Once the Ministry has fallen, the enchantments that surround the location of the wedding will be broken. It will be a perfect opportunity to target them or, at least, cause maximum panic."
"Mother…" Regina felt physically sick. "It's…"
"It's brilliant." Cora said, ignoring how pale her daughter had gone. "Bella and I are to go to the Ministry when we receive word that it has fallen and you, my darling, are to finally prove yourself by going to the home of those blood traitors the Weasleys." She replaced the parchment on the mantelpiece and smiled at her daughter. "Rodolphus and Antonin will be here soon to accompany you."
"Accom– Mother! I don't need accompanying!"
"You do, Regina, until you earn my trust." Cora informed her coldly. She crossed the floor and cupped her daughter's face, squeezing more firmly than was necessary. "Do me proud, Regina. Make them beg and plead for their lives. Make them cry when they know the end is coming. Make them regret being traitors to their blood."
Feeling as though she was about to be sick, Regina was afforded a reprise when the parlour door opened and two men, dressed in long, black cloaks stepped inside. The witch needed no introduction to them, being able to recognise her brother-in-law and his closest accomplice anywhere.
"Regina, looking beautiful as always." Dolohov told her smarmily. The woman winced internally as his eyes roved over her before they flicked towards Cora and he bowed his head deferentially. "You too, Cora."
"Oh, Antonin." The older Mills smirked, her eyes remaining hard and dangerous. "If only you were not already married you could take this one off my hands."
"But, alas, I am... for now." He replied with a grin.
Regina shuddered. "Shall we go?"
"Here…" Cora handed her a cloak and a mask, which her daughter took gratefully. There was no way she wanted to be recognised. "Remember what I said, Regina."
Nodding, the woman followed Rodolphus and Dolohov out of the house and back down the driveway. She didn't speak, refusing to answer them when they addressed her. Her mind was whirring, wondering how on earth she could make this situation better. There was no backing out of it; if nothing else she couldn't stand idly by and allow the Death Eaters to descend on Bill and Fleur's wedding. There was, however, no way she could provide them with advance warning about the attack.
An involuntary cry was ripped from her lips as a searing pain in her arm brought her back to reality and she realised that it was her Dark Mark burning. It was signalling that the Ministry had fallen and Voldemort was in control.
"We go." Dolohov muttered.
The wedding had been beautiful. Fleur seemed to be giving off some kind of pheromone that made everything around her glow and shimmer more brightly than seemed possible. Henry, who had latched himself on to Emma, beamed up at the blonde delightedly as the couple said their vows. She nudged him with her shoulder, suddenly sad as she met the boy's eyes and she remembered what she could have had with his mother.
As the party entered full swing, Henry asked Emma to dance. He didn't like the way Viktor Krum was eyeing her up and was determined to keep the Quidditch Player away from the woman he thought of as his stepmother. Emma, although she knew exactly what Henry was doing, didn't comment and allowed him to clumsily whirl her around the dance floor until they were both laughing and breathless.
Waving off his suggestion that they stay on the floor for another song, Emma collapsed heavily into a seat at the same table as Ron Weasley was sitting at, glaring out towards where Hermione Granger was chatting to the young man Henry was so keen to keep her away from.
"You alright, kid?" Emma asked knowingly, resting her chin on her hand.
Ron jumped. "Err… yes, thank you, Professor Swan. Are you enjoying the wedding?"
"It's Emma, out of school." She told him firmly, moving her gaze over to where Henry was now dancing with Luna Lovegood, looking a little embarrassed at her flamboyant style of movement. "And yes, I am. Are you?" He shrugged. Then he tilted his head and looked at her as though there was something he wanted to say, but wasn't sure whether he should. "Spit it out."
"What?"
"Whatever it is you want to say."
The teenager went crimson. "I just… I was wondering… why isn't Professor Mills here?"
Emma glanced away, chewing the inside of her cheek. "She couldn't make it."
"So… it's not because she's…"
"She's what?" Emma demanded. "You think she's what?"
"I just…" Ron looked as though he wanted the ground to swallow him up. "I heard Mum and Tonks talking about… Tonks said you told Professor Mills… she said you said once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater, so I just wondered…"
"We were talking about someone else… Snape." The witch informed him angrily. "Regina is not a Death Eater."
"Right. Sorry, I just… sorry."
Angrily, Emma stood up and walked away, needing some air. She wasn't really angry at the teenager for his assumption or the clumsy way he had gone about asking her about what he'd heard. She was angrier with herself for saying it to Regina in the first place. Emma hadn't meant it; it had been a heat of the moment comment that had just slipped out. In fact, she reasoned, she hadn't been talking about Regina at all, although that didn't help matters.
As she leant against the canvas wall of the marquee, something large and silver came floating towards her and she froze. Emma recognised the shape instantly as Kingsley's Patronus. As the silvery lynx glided through the air beside her and into the tent, the witch spun on her heels and pushed through the canopy to follow it back inside.
"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming." Kingsley's deep, slow voice broke through the shocked silence.
For a couple of beats no one moved. The Patronus faded silently and, as soon as all traces of it had vanished, all hell broke loose. There was a scream and everyone seemed to realise what the lynx Patronus had told them.
Emma whipped out her wand, turning in a circle and looking for Henry in the panicked crowd. She spotted him right in the centre of the dance floor and ran towards him, pushing people aside in her haste to reach him. Grasping him firmly by the arm, she started dragging him towards the exit of the marquee.
"Get into the house!" She ordered. "Now!"
"But–"
"Now, Henry!" Emma repeated, herding him in the direction of the building. She wasn't the only one with that idea and other underage witches and wizards who had attended the wedding seemed to be being shepherded in that direction too. "Go!"
With many of the guests Disapparating, Emma guessed that the protective enchantments that had been placed on The Burrow had been broken. Her eyes roved around the crowds and she was unsurprised to see figures in dark cloaks and masks appearing among the guests.
"Protego!" The blonde shouted, raising her wand to defend herself as a jet of light shot in her direction. "Stupefy!"
Not stopping to see whether her spell had met it's mark, the witch turned and aimed her wand at the house behind her, mumbling protection charms to prevent any of the Death Eaters gaining access. Then she began moving through the panicking crowd, looking for other members of the Order.
As more and more of the guests Disapparated and the number of people in the fight thinned considerably it was easier to see what was going on. Emma zoned in on a Death Eater standing a little way off, apparently only half-heartedly throwing out stunning spells, charging towards them recklessly.
"Stupefy!" She shouted, aiming the stunning spell at the figure who easily blocked it with little more than a flick of their wand. "Impedimenta! Stupefy!" As each of her spells was blocked, but the Death Eater did nothing to retaliate, Emma grew more and more frustrated. "Come on!"
"Crucio!"
A voice from somewhere off to her left uttered the incantation for the Cruciatus Curse but, before Emma could turn and see where it had come from, let alone attempt to defend herself, the figure she had been attacking raised its wand and made a slashing motion. The Death Eater who had attempted to curse her screamed and crumpled, blood spurting from their chest.
"Emma!" The blonde turned as Killian came flying across the ground to her side, putting a hand on her waist and looking at her in concern. "Are you alright, love?"
"I'm fine! I–" She turned abruptly, but the Death Eater who had protected her had gone.
