Hey, guys! Here's a little Christmas treat for you! I made it a little longer than the normal ones...being on break gave me the time. I hope you like it! I had fun writing this chapter.

I entered the house, once I reassured myself that no one was there, and flicked on the first set of lights. The foyer and living room lit up instantly to illuminate the immaculate white furnished living room. Nothing seemed to have changed since I had been here last.

"Allie, what is this place?" Hermione asked as she, Harry, and Red stepped inside. I closed the door behind them.

I ventured further into the house and turned on the next set of lights that lighted the stainless steel kitchen. I turned around to look at them. "My grandpa bought this island for my grandma as an anniversary present one year. We are off the coast of Brazil and no one but the cleaning people and Jake know that this place even exists anymore." I paused as I looked around at the house that belonged to my family and the eerie feeling that it gave me. "We're safe here."

Hermione and Red fell right asleep as soon as I showed them their rooms, not even really wanting to talk about what happened until tomorrow when we all would be well rested and ready to get down to business. I walked out of the white bedroom where I told Hermione she could sleep and into the living room.

Harry wasn't there but I knew he was close by; I could hear his thoughts loud and clear.

I walked over to the bookshelf that stood in the corner of the room. On it were pictures of my family that I had never seen before. Sure, I had been here before but my guess was that Jake hid these picture to protect me from the pain that they would bring.

There was a picture of my grandparents, standing by the beach, sparkling slightly in the light. There were also pictures of my aunts and uncles, all looking as beautiful as ever.

And then there was a picture of my parents.

It was from their wedding day, my father in a tuxedo and my mother wearing a beautiful white dress. My dad had his arm wrapped around my mom's waist and they looked indescribably happy together. Usually, I would be sad when I saw a picture of them, but I couldn't find in me when they looked so joyous. In fact, I found myself smiling like my mother. Very rarely did she smile, according to Jake, but when she did it looked like mine.

I heard the sliding glass door open in the kitchen and turned to see Harry entering with his wand in hand.

"I wanted to put a few protection spells up, just in case." He explained, causing me to nod.

"Yeah, that was probably a smart idea." I smiled.

Our eyes locked for a moment, I'm not exactly sure why or for what we were searching for, before I had to look away. I scratched my head awkwardly. "Um, so there are two bedrooms. I set Ron up in one and Hermione in the other. You can bunk with Red or take the couch. I'm sorry there isn't more room-"

"No, don't worry about it. This place is great." He said. "I'll take the couch though I don't know how much sleep I'll get."

"Yeah, same here." I said, thinking back to that cafe and the dead man that lay there, the man that I killed.

The two of us lapsed into a silence as the elephant in the room grew larger.

"Listen, what you did at the cafe-" Harry started, only to get cut off by me. I didn't want to talk about this. Especially not with him. I looked down at my wringing hands.

"Let's not do this now, okay? I just-" I paused, trying to find the words. "I just need to let it settle in me. I killed him and I have to deal with it and live with it." I looked back up at Harry's green eyes. "I've done this before, Harry. I can handle it by myself."

I heard the boy scoff and look away from me. He nodded. "Right, of course you can. You don't need anyone." He told me in anger before storming back out the door and into the dark night.

I sighed, not really wanting to get into this right now but knowing I had to fix this before Hermione and Ron woke up. I stomped my foot in annoyance before following him onto the beach. I found him standing by the water's edge, staring into the distant ocean.

I stopped a few feet behind him. "What did I do now?"

He looked at me over his shoulder for a moment before turning back to the waves. "Nothing, Allie."

"Well, I've obviously done something new to piss you off." I told him.

He turned back to me. "No, trust me. You haven't done anything new...I've seen this from you a million times."

I sighed again, throwing my hands up in the air. "Well, that's vague, isn't it? You know what, Harry, forget it. I was just trying to talk to you and you won't even have a conversation with me."

At these words he turned all the way around to look at me. He began to laugh. "Ha, that's rich, coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, taking a step closer.

"It means," He started, stepping nearer to me. "That I was trying to talk to you inside but you shut me out like you always do."

Another step toward him. "Bullshit! I don't always block you out, you always block me out!" I returned.

He stepped even closer to me and we were now chest to chest. "Oh, what a load of bullocks! I tell you things! Bloody hell, Allie, we are broken up and I told you that I was jealous of another bloke that you were with!" He turned away from me and ran his hands through his hair. "You know everything about me whether I like it or not! But you, you can't even tell me how you are feeling!" He paused, looking back at me. "Not everyone can read minds like you, Allie!" He shouted, kicking sand up with his foot in the process.

We were beginning to push each other too far.

I bit my lip as I looked at him. "Well, it's not like you care what I'm feeling anyway!" I yelled right back at him.

He laughed furiously again, coming to tower over me again. "How can you say that? You know, for someone with telepathy you don't know a bloody thing about what's going on in my brain because if you did then-"

He cut off, deciding to burn holes into my eyes instead.

"Then, what?" I asked, seething.

He shook his head, his bangs brushing my forehead due to our close proximity. He closed his eyes. "Just tell me one completely honest thing. No lies, no secrets, no holding back. Just say something real so I know that you are still able to."

I bit my lip and the next thing I know...word vomit. I wanted to stop the words but I couldn't, they just shot from my mouth. "I thought of twenty four different ways to kill Ginny after I found the two of you kissing in her room."

His eyes shot open, staring deep into mine again. He looked at me for a fraction of a second more before I felt his lips crash onto mine. Instantly, I reacted, feeling all of my pent up rage and passion flow into the kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and allowed my hands to run through his hair. I felt his arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer; one of his hands go up the back of my shirt and begin to stroke my spine causing a shiver to coarse through my body.

And I let this go on for several seconds.

That is, before I came to my senses and realized that I could be hurting him.

I pulled my lips off of his but that only caused him to begin kissing my neck. I could see the blood in the vein in his neck pulsating right next to my left eye...I could smell him...almost taste his life blood...

The next instant I flew out of his arm, back against a palm tree, and dug my fingers in. "Stop!" I yelled.

Harry was standing ten feet away, breathing heavily, and looking confused.

I looked down at my feet and took a few breaths, as well.

The two of us were silent for a moment before Harry chuckled quietly to himself.

"I'm-I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that. Stupid...to think anything has changed, right?" He said.

My eyes went back up to him. Harry now looked as if nothing had happened, as if we had just had a pleasant conversation instead made out. I scoffed, knowing he was right.

"Yeah, nothing's changed. That was just a...mistake." I said before letting go of the palm tree and walking past him and back into the house. I went into my and Hermione's dark room and laid down on the bed.

Like I said, I would be getting no sleep tonight.

Around four in the morning I couldn't take it any longer. I had to get up and do something, anything, to get my mind off the shit that happened the night before. So, I decided to go swimming; I guess those swim suits Hermione packed did come in handy after all.

The morning swells were coming in fast and strong, just the way I liked them. I ventured further and further into the ocean, allowing the waves to crash into me and attempt to pull me back to shore, but never did they succeed. I pushed myself harder and harder until I powered past them and into the open ocean. Stopping, I took a breath and looked back to the shore where the house was only a small dot on the horizon.

It was nearly sunrise then and I headed back in.

It only took me half the time to get back thanks to the help of the waves. I found myself on the beach moments later. I grabbed the towel I found in the hall closet, threw it over my arm, and headed back into the kitchen.

The house was still quiet; by the sound of it everyone was still asleep. I threw the towel on the counter and went to the fridge, trying to see if I could find anything to eat. The cleaning crew was supposed to keep the shelves and everything stocked per Jake's request-meaning, in case we ever had to hide out here from Voldemort when I was little-but by the looks of it there was not much.

I found package of bottled water though, and I took one. I turned back around to go sit on the island stool when I jumped at the sight of Harry standing by the couch. Images of last night flooded back into my mind and I couldn't help but looking away from him and toward the counter...where my towel was sitting.

Right, I was running around in my bikini. Super, as if things needed to be more awkward between the two of us, now I was practically naked.

With a vampire quick move, I grabbed my towel and wrapped it around me tightly.

From across the room I could see a blush grow on Harry's face. How long had he been staring at me before I noticed? I really just wanted to run away but where would I go?

I went to sit down, facing away from him.

"Want some breakfast?" I threw over my shoulder, trying to change the topic even though neither of us had spoken yet.

"No, thanks. I'm not hungry." He told me in response.

"Good, 'cause there isn't any food." I said.

"Speaking of food..." Harry started as he came to sit on the opposite end of the island. "When was the last time you hunted?"

"About a week ago." I told him. "I'll be okay for a few more days."

I could see him nod from the corner of my eye. I began to pick at the label on the bottled water as we went silent again. I don't know how long we stayed like that, perhaps an hour or two, before Hermione stumbled out of the master bedroom, looking half dead.

"Good morning," She grumbled.

"Morning," Harry and I said in unison.

Hermione, hair disheveled and eyes still half closed, sat down between Harry and I, acting as a barrier between the flowing awkwardness. Several silent minutes later, Red decided to roll out of bed and into the kitchen, as well.

Once everyone was wide awake-well, awake enough to pay attention, that is- and I changed into some jeans and a t-shirt, Hermione dug around in her purse and pulled out a gold object that I had not seen before. I picked the thing up and realized that it was a locket bearing a snake in the shape of a 'S' on the front.

"What's this?" I asked.

My three friends looked at each other for a moment as if questioning my sanity until Red spoke. "Oh, yeah. That's right. Allie was already...dead by the time Harry showed this to us. She didn't know."

Harry and Hermione nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well, it was supposed to be a horcrux...the locket of Salazar Slytherin, actually... but it's a fake." Harry said, taking the locket from my hand and opening it, revealing a small note inside. He handed it to me to read out loud.

"To the Dark Lord, I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it is I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more..." I paused. "It is signed R.A.B."

Harry nodded. "We don't know who this is or if they even destroyed the real horcrux and if they didn't, where it is now."

I studied the note, pondering the letters. R.A.B...R.A.B...R...A...B...B...B...B

Wait a second...when we stayed at 12 Grimmald Place, Hermione and I stayed in a room that had these initials on them. I vaguely remembered them but I could have been mistaken.

"B" I whispered to myself. "Black."

I looked back up at Harry. "Sirius, his family worked for Voldemort, right?"

The boy nodded.

"What was Sirius's father's name?" I asked, hoping I was grasping at the right string, perhaps it was his father's study converted into a bedroom?

Harry thought for a moment but in the end he shook his head. "It's not Sirius's father...it's his brother." He looked up. "I remember Sirius showing me a picture of him. His name was Regulus."

"That would be R.B and it is common knowledge that the Black's were followers of the Dark Lord..." Hermione said, doubtful. "But doesn't it seem too convenient?

I looked over at her and smiled slightly. "Hermione, I'm not gonna question good luck...the only thing we have to figure out is if Regulus truly had it."

"Well, how are we going to do that? Go to Sirius's house? Look around for it?" Ron asked no one in particular.

"It'll be dangerous to go to the old headquarters...I'm not sure if we should risk it...but, I don't know..." Hermione answered.

I just shook my head, not knowing how to answer either. Regulus was dead along with the rest of his family. There was no one who would possibly know-

"I've got it." Harry chimed in. "Kreacher!" He called into the open air.

A moment later a popping sound filled the room and a small, wrinkled house elf appeared. The thing looked less than pleased to be summoned by Harry...he always did have a nasty attitude.

"Master called for Kreacher." The house elf snarled through clenched teeth. The small creature looked at all four of us before muttering under his breath. "Working with filthy mudbloods and blood traitors...the mistress would be so upset with Kreacher..."

"Hey, don't you call them that ever again, you understand?" Harry asked, earning himself a nod and more mumbled words from the elf. "Now, tell me, have you ever seen this locket before?"

Kreacher took the trinket in his hand to examine it. "This was Master Regulus's locket. He wore it everyday until he died."

"No, this was not his, Kreacher. This is a replicate of that one. Do you know where Regulus's real locket is?" Harry asked, starting to get rough with the small, old house elf.

"Kreacher had it until..."

"Until what, Kreacher?" Harry asked, giving the house elf a shake.

"Harry, you don't need to do that. He is cooperating with you just fine-" Hermione started to defend, only to get cut off.

"Kreacher does not need to helped by a mudblood."

Harry shook the elf again. "Do not call her that! Now...until what?"

Kreacher pursed his thin lips together. "Until he came in the dead of night...like a ghost he came through the house...like a ghost he came into Kreacher's room and took Master Regulus's locket."

"Who, Kreacher. Tell me who." Harry demanded.

Kreacher looked at Harry for a moment before answering. "Mundungus Fletcher."

The four of us looked around at each other. "Mundungus?" I questioned. "The creepy little guy from the Order?"

"Aye, half-breed. The very same." Kreacher spat.

Harry pushed the little house elf away from him, irradiated by his muffled insults and lack of respect. "Find him, Kreacher. Bring him back here once you do."

The house elf nodded, clearly unhappy about his assigned task. As he disapperated I could hear him whispered under his breath about what his dead mistress would say if she knew what he was doing and whose orders he was following.

"What a snake." Hermione said once the house elf was gone. "How dare he steal from a dead man...it's entirely too sinful."

"Clearly money is more important than being eternally damned, Hermione." Red said, causing Hermione to smack him on the arm.

Only a few moments later and the sound of apperation sounded in the foyer. "He found him already? That was quick." I said, getting up from the stool and going over to the door. I rounded the corner and stopped dead in my tracks at who I saw standing there.

A wide smile appeared across my face and I ran toward him, instantly in Jake's arms. "Jake!" I cried out.

"Thank God, you are alright. I am so sorry about that fight last night." He said, his words muffled by our hug.

"Don't worry about it." I told my guardian before taking a step back to examine him. He looked the same as ever, the picture of health. "How did you get here?" I asked.

"I had a little help." He told me, moving aside to show Lupin standing weakly by the door. "We went to 12 Grimmald Place to see if that was where you guys went. We were just about to leave when Kreacher reappeared and told us-after a little persuasion-where you guys were. And I must say, Allie, good thinkin' with coming here. It's nearly impossible to get here if you haven't been before."

"Allie?" Harry called, rounding the corner to see our company.

The boy was shocked at first, but after a second he realized that the two men were actually there. "Lupin!" He laughed. "You have no idea how good it is to see you." Harry gave Lupin a hug before turning to Jake and holding out his hand to shake hands. "You too, Jacob."

Jake nodded his head in greeting. "Harry." He said simply.

"Well, come on in." I said, leading them into the white living room.

Hermione and Red were just as surprised as Harry and I upon seeing the new arrivals. Each gave a hug or hand shake to the two men before we all settled down in the living room, ready to share our stories.

We went first, telling the two about our adventures at Billy's house then in London. I made sure we left out the part about me killing someone. Jake didn't need to hear that; he would only worry about me and my vampire transformation more.

"So, what happened to you guys?" I asked.

Lupin and Jake jumped into their tale, saying how they-along with the rest of the Order members-managed to get the best of the Death Eaters and draw them away from the Burrow.

"Everyone is safe." Lupin added. "No one was hurt, thank Merlin. But everyone went into hiding...we haven't located everyone just yet."

"Well, at least everyone is safe." Hermione said, eyes locked on a white faced Ron. From his thoughts, I could see that just because Lupin said his family was safe he was not as confident. "Right, Ronald?" Hermione added, looking for a bit of reassurance herself.

Ron finally snapped out of it, let a small smile appear on his face, and nodded. "Yeah, at least they are safe."

Harry and I exchanged a glance, both knowing full well that Ron was less than pleased with not knowing where his family was. The six of us lapsed into silence for a moment before I decided to ask the question that was on everyone's mind but no one would ask.

"Not that we aren't happy to see you two...but what are you doing here?" I questioned.

The two werewolves exchanged a glance before Lupin spoke. "Well, we were hoping that the four of you would allow us to join you in...whatever it is that you are doing."

I looked over at Jake who was now donning his "serious face" full of power and determination. How did they know we had a plan? We never mentioned to anyone that we were planning on leaving.

"I overheard you discussing it one day...I know you were planning on leaving to do...something after the wedding." Jake explained. "And we want to help."

I gave each of my friends a look like these guys were crazy. My eyes locked on Hermione who sat chewing on her bottom lip. "They could be useful to have with us..." She admitted. Red nodded his head in agreement.

I scoffed before looking at Harry. In his green eyes I saw that he was on my side in this. We couldn't have them with us as much as we would like to.

I looked back at my guardian. "Jake you can't come. You don't have any magic."

"And you," Harry said, looking at Lupin. "You are married. Why would you want to abandon Tonks like that?"

Lupin chuckled, humorlessly, and hung his head low. "Tonks is...expecting a baby."

"Lupin, that is wonderful-"

The rest of Hermione's sentence was cut off by our ex-professor. "It is not wonderful!" He shouted before shaking his head. "This child...he will be ridiculed because of me...because of what I am." Lupin looked over at me. "What if he has the same condition as I do? What if he too is a monster? He will never be treated normally, like everyone else."

I took in ever word he said and I could not help but wonder if my father had the same thoughts and feelings as Professor Lupin did. Did he wonder how I would be treated in the world? Where I would fit in or if I would fit in anywhere?

I got up from my position on the long couch and went to sit next to Lupin. Awkwardly, I took his shaking hand in mine and placed them both on my knee.

"Professor, speaking as a child of a-as you put it-monster, I'm not going to lie to you and say that this baby is going to have it easy. It will be tough, especially if he has your condition. He will question why he is like this and who he is supposed to be because of it." I paused, thinking back on my own experiences. "He will be scared of what he can do..."

I looked up to see that Lupin was looking at me with water in his eyes. I smiled slightly and patted his hand with my free one. "I know I would have killed to have someone there to tell me that what I was feeling as a vampire was normal, that I wasn't as much of a freak as I believed myself to be. I would have killed for a little guidance in that department and he would too...He'll want you, Lupin."

My eyes glanced over Lupin's shoulder to where Jake sat, causing me to smile. "And I can tell you that it is actually pretty great to be raised by a werewolf." I winked at my guardian.

Lupin shook his head again. "I cannot do this."

"You have to." I stated simply. "My parents didn't have a choice when they left me but you do. You have a chance to be a father and a great one at that. Please don't blow it." I pleaded.

"In fact," I added. "We won't let you blow it with this baby. You aren't allowed to come with us. I refuse to be an excuse to abandon your child." I looked over at my three friends. "Right, guys?"

They all nodded and voiced their agreement.

Lupin looked over at me, half pissed, half grateful. "Thank you." He eventually said.

I simply nodded before standing and turning my gaze to the bearlike man next to the defeated teacher. "And as for you, there is no way in hell."

"Hey!" He said, coming to stand as well. "You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do! I am the parent and you are the child, squirt!"

"Jake, your in my world, my turf. I know what is out there and you cannot face magic without a little of your own." I fought back.

God, I wished I could just say that he could come with us but he would be destroyed. Where we were going he couldn't follow. This was one thing that he couldn't do with me.

"Kid, I can handle my own. I was undercover with Greyback for months and I was fine."

"That is not the same thing, Jacob." Harry added, coming to stand next to me. "This mission is not yours."

"Harry Potter, do not make me-" He was getting angry now. His nails were digging into palms as he tried to control his wolf side.

"You cannot come, Jacob. It's not safe for you." Hermione said, still sitting on the couch next to Red.

"I can do this, guys. I promise-"

"Jake!" I shouted, needing him to focus on what I was saying instead of his rage. "You can't come with us...you'll-you'll just slow us down." I said.

At those words Jake's fists unclenched. I know what I said was low. Jake hated feeling useless and unworthy but it was needed to be said to make him realize that he was by no means coming to hunt the horcruxes.

Jake sighed and took a step toward me. He put his large hands on my shoulders and looked deep into my blue eyes with his brown ones. "Listen, Allie" I knew he now meant business, he never called me by my name unless it was important. "I-I know I said somethings back at the Burrow but I didn't mean them, I promise. I'm sorry, honey. Just-just don't leave me here because you are angry at me." He pleaded, causing my heart to practically rip in two.

"I'm not mad at you, Jake. You just can't go with us." I whispered.

Jacob's hands dropped from my shoulders and he sat back down on the couch. He rested his head in his hands and just nodded. I looked over my shoulder at the spot where Harry stood near Hermione and Red before going back over to join them. I plopped next to Hermione who put a comforting arm around my shoulders.

We sat in silence for Merlin knew how long before Lupin decided that it was time for him and Jacob to go back.

As Jake was saying good bye to the others, I pulled Lupin out the front door and into the humid summer afternoon, my skin sparkled slightly causing my teacher to stare a little.

I looked through the window to make sure everyone was out of earshot before speaking. "I-I need to ask you a favor."

"Anything, what is it?" He asked.

I sighed. "I need you to take care of Jake for me. He's not going to handle this well and someone needs to make sure his temper stays in check."

Lupin nodded. "I will watch him. He is staying with me while Tonks is at her parents for the remainder of her pregnancy. He'll be safe."

"Good." I paused as I tried to find the words that I wanted to get out. "I haven't told anyone about what I going to tell you now and I want it to stay between us for the time being."

"Alright...I shall keep your secret." Lupin answered, curious.

What to say next? I guessed I should just keep it short, sweet, and to the point. We didn't have much time for me to elaborate. "I'm going to die, Lupin. Voldemort...he-he's gonna try to kill me and I am gonna let him because it's the only way he will ever be truly dead." The words kept tumbling out after that, I couldn't stop. "I'm guessing that it will be within the year. So when this is all over I need you to be the one to tell Jake...you're his friend and I want you to tell him. It's a lot to ask, I know, but if you could just do that one thing..."

"I will." He stated with a shocked look across his face, then paused. "You are sure there is not anything that can be done differently...?"

I sighed, running my hands through my curly hair. "Not if this is going to be done right." I looked back in the window at where Jake stood, giving Hermione a big bear hug and the boys laughed as he picked her up off the floor. "This thing with Voldemort needs to come to an end and if my death will bring about that then I am okay with it."

"You are brave." Lupin said as he placed a hand on my shoulder. My eyes turned back to his sunken, exhausted ones. "I guess this is goodbye."

I smiled. "Goodbye, Lupin. Take good care of that kid of yours. Knowing you and Tonks, he'll turn out to be quite the bad ass."

Lupin's face allowed a small smile to appear but did not say anything. The next second the door opened to reveal my towering guardian. He looked down at me with a face that had not changed since I was born; he still looked seventeen.

"It's time for us to go." He told me, looking down at his feet the whole time.

I gave Lupin one more smile before he went to say his goodbyes to the others.

Jake stood in the doorway with me standing outside in front of him. His dark eyes bore into mine, scanning me for something. He stayed like this for a moment, making me feel really uncomfortable.

"What?" I finally asked, throwing my hands in the air and feeling totally creeped out.

"There's something you aren't telling me, kid." He finally rumbled.

I froze. How did he know? He couldn't, could he? Just because we were imprinted didn't mean that he could read my mind, see that I was being untruthful, right? It is crazy to think that he could. Just act normal.

"Ya think?" I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Jake I think you have been hanging around Lupin too much. You are really paranoid."

He stared at me for another second. "You didn't deny it."

I chuckled nervously. "I'm not hiding anything."

He shook his head. "You are a terrible liar, squirt. Just tell me what is going on."

Actually, I knew for a fact that I was a great liar but Jake was just trying to get me to talk. I wasn't going to cave. If Jake found out now what was going to happen to me then I would be locked up in a cave somewhere in the middle of nowhere for the rest of my life. He'd never let me go...and I needed him to let me go.

"Nothing. You are just worrying too much, as always." I reassured him. "Don't worry, Jake. Everything will work out just as it is supposed to, I promise."

His stare hit me again and I let it. This was probably the last time I would ever see Jake again and I wanted to make sure that I had his face completely memorized. I wanted to make sure that I did not loose the image of him while I was away.

The next instantly I was wrapped in big tree trunk arms and crushed against Jacob's hard chest. "You better be careful, kid. I mean it." He paused. "I-I can't loose you."

I felt a tear swell up in my eye but did not let it fall. I hugged Jake tighter to me. "You won't. I'll always be here for you."

More tears filled my eyes and I could not stop them from falling. I pushed Jake away from me so I could look up at him again. I wiped a drop of moisture off of my cheek and smiled. "I know we always say to never get cheesy but I just have to say that I love you, Jake, and-and you are the best guardian...dad...a little orphan girl could ever ask for. I-I don't know how I would have survived without you, Jake."

He smiled and I saw a small tear glistening in the corner of his eye. "I don't know how I would have made it without you either, kid. You are what kept me stable all of these years and I-I love you, too."

I smiled up at him again before hugging his torso once more, getting every ounce of Jake's essence out of it. This was not a 'see you later' it was a goodbye...for good.

Jacob was the first to let go and look down at me. He started laughing. "Shit, squirt. You're making me cry in front of another werewolf. You are killing my reputation."

It was my turn to chuckle. "You're a big softy, Jake. Embrace it."

Jake smiled but did not say anything to protest. He glanced back into the house to see that everyone was waiting on the two of us. "Well I guess this is it." He said, nodding his head in the direction of the living room.

"Yeah, I guess so." I smiled too. "We'll be seeing you, Jacob."

"I'll see you later, kid."

With one more quick hug, Jake went back into the living room to stand next to Lupin. I stayed where I was. My ex-professor looked over his shoulder at me and I waved my final goodbye. He gave me the gesture in return before taking Jake's elbow in his hand and disapperating instantly.

And they were gone.

For good.

In the depths of my gut, I knew that that was the last time I would see Jake and I wanted nothing more than to break down and cry. But I couldn't because my friends were counting on me. The entire wizarding world was counting on me.

So I would suffer through this.

"Allie," Hermione said gently from the doorway. "Are you going to be okay?"

No...I smiled to reassure her. "Yeah, I'm gonna be just fine."

The next second I heard a popping sound, followed by a great amount of cussing and crashing, coming from the kitchen. Kreacher must have been back with Mundungus. Hermione and I ran back into the house where we did in fact see Kreacher struggling to keep hold of the thief. The boys stood close by with their wands drawn.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed with amount of time it was taking to get this situation under control and feeling the need to take my anger and sadness out on someone.

I walked past Hermione and the boys to the spot where Kreacher stood with Fletcher. I took the man by the collar of his shirt and threw him-as gently as I could-onto the floor. He made contact with a huge thud and started shaking. I stood over him and glared. "Either you start talking or I start breaking your bones, Fletcher."

I knew from early on that I scared this runt of a man shitless...there was something about vampires that he did not trust and I was the perfect person to get the information out of him. I grabbed hold of his arm and made a motion that seemed like I was getting ready to snap it like a dry twig.

"Wait, wait, wait! I don't know what you want to know! I'll tell you anything, I promise!" He shouted, the shaking had now made it to his voice.

I smiled. "That's a good boy. Now," I took hold of him by the collar again, pulled him up right, and dragged him over to where Harry was holding the locket. "you have been very naughty, stealing and all, and I am willing to let you keep your fingers attached to your body if you tell me where the locket you stole from Grimmald Place is."

Fletcher stared at the locket for a moment, squinting, before a look of realization came to his face. "I-I don't have that." He stuttered.

I looked at my three friends who wore looks of disbelief, whether it was at what I was doing or because they were questioning the validity of Mundungus's answer, I didn't know. I sighed. "Oh, Fletcher. That is not the answer we were looking for." I took one of his fingers in my cold hand. "I guess there will be no more five finger discounts for you, buddy."

"No, wait!" He shouted again, trying to wretch his hand from mine. "I don't have it because I sold it to someone!"

"Who?" Harry asked.

He stayed silent for a moment as if not wanting to answer. I bended his finger back slightly, causing him to cry out in fright. "I-I-I sold it to...to...to Dolores Umbridge."

It was our turn to stare at him. I looked over at Red and Hermione to see that both of their jaws were hanging open.

"You have got to be shitting me." I said, dropping Fletcher's hand and going to stand in the huddle of my friends. Mundungus went to cower in the corner of the kitchen.

"How are we going to get that? It's going to be bloody impossible!" Red yelled, frustrated at our new predicament.

"We are going to have to infiltrate the Ministry..." Hermione said, not sounding too confident in her own plan.

"Right, and while we are at it we can sneak up on Voldemort and give him a wet willy." I added sarcastically. "This is just perfect."

"Guys, wait." Harry said, staring over my shoulder. "Before we do anything we have to get rid of Fletcher...he already knows too much."

I nodded my agreement and turned on my heels to look at the very small looking man. I smiled slightly,intimidatingly, as I walked toward him.

"No, don't! Please, I won't tell anyone!" He pleaded.

I knelt down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I don't believe you."

The next instantly I placed my finger in the spot between his neck and collarbone and Fletcher slumped down to the floor, completely and utterly unconscious.

"Allie, what did you do?" Hermione asked, semi-scared, thinking that I killed yet another person.

I stood up and turned around to look at them. "Pressure point...I just knocked him out, promise. He will be fine."

The three of them stared at me for a second.

"Blimey, you are bloody scary when you do stuff like that, Allie." Red stated, still in awe.

"Sorry," I muttered under my breath. I didn't particularly enjoy being called scary but it was something I had to do...okay, so we could have handled it differently but I needed to take all of my frustration out on someone. Better Fletcher than one of my friends, right?

"Hermione, could you take care of that?" Harry asked, pointing to Mungungus, wanting her to wipe his memory.

"Yeah, sure. No problem." She told him before going over to the unconscious man.

A second later she stood up right again and smiled over at Kreacher. "Could you put him back where you found him, please?" She asked kindly.

Kreacher muttered under his breath, like aways, before waddling over to Mundungus and grabbing his ankle.

"Kreacher!" Harry called before the little elf was able to disapperate. "Do not come back until I call for you and you WILL not tell anyone of our location or what we have discussed here. Do you understand?"

Kreacher nodded. "Yes, master. Kreacher understands perfectly."

And the elf was gone, leaving us to figure out what the hell we were going to do next.

Tell me what you think! Merry Christmas!