Chapter Fifty-One

We sat in front of the fire and sipped at the whiskey, at first hardly knowing how to begin a conversation in light of all the news we'd been given. Daniel broke the ice as it were, by thanking us both for the information about the Mirror of Erised.

"Were you able to see Rubens again?" I asked, trying to be delicate.

"I was." He said with a deep sigh. "I have missed the person that he was for so very long. It was good to be able to say goodbye, even if he couldn't really hear me."

"I'm certain he was able to hear you Daniel." Draco said, "I believe that the ones that we have loved are never truly that far from us."

"Not so long as we keep them alive in our hearts, with our love." I added. Draco was being particularly philosophical that day, which was a bit out of character for him, but not in a bad way I decided.

"Love can do a great many things." He reached over to take my hand and held it tightly for a moment. "It can even bring back the damned."

"Draco, you were never damned."

He laughed just quietly and shook his head. "You have a good soul Harry, but for you I wouldn't be here at all."

Both Daniel and I understood exactly what he meant, and the thought sent a chill down my back. The memory of his tear stained face in the highest peaks of the castle gave me pause.

"We have all made our mistakes gentlemen." Daniel spoke thoughtfully, and raised his glass to us. "We can now only hope to atone for them by living our lives in a way that would absolve our spirits." We toasted to the promise, and sipped at our drinks for a little longer in silence until Draco broke it for good.

"I don't think I can come back to Hogwarts after the holidays Harry." He looked right into my eyes as he spoke. The statement wasn't a surprise for me to hear, though Daniel objected.

"Why not Draco, you should at least finish up your NEWT levels, you're so close to them now."

"I don't think it's what I'm supposed to do anymore Daniel." Draco's voice seemed so even and so peaceful as he spoke.

"You sound so sure, what aren't you telling me?"

"I have to save that little girl."

I nodded at him, a small smile on my face. I remained quiet though, and I let Draco explain to Daniel what I already knew was in his heart.

"She can't grow up in an orphanage, not knowing anything about herself except that she wasn't wanted. It'd be like history repeating itself. She's my sister, I can't let that happen, and I won't be responsible for her turning out like her father."

"Her father?" Clearly Daniel had not been given the entire story.

"Voldemort was her father."

Daniel's face went a little ashen.

"How much do you know about Tom Riddle, Daniel?" Draco asked, which did little to restore the older wizard's complexion.

"Very little, except that he grew into the Dark Lord. It is not something the other professors discuss very often."

"Perhaps Harry could give you the full details, of his childhood, since I believe he is the only one still alive who likely knows them."

I nodded. I had spent enough time with Dumbledore staring into the penseive, and with Hermione hunting for clues to put together a fairly complete history.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle was born to the witch Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle Sr., a muggle, after she tricked him into marrying her with a love potion. Only Tom Sr. didn't hang around for the birth of his son. When Merope stopped giving him the potion, whatever her reasons were, he abandoned her, three months pregnant, and without a soul in the world to care for her. Lost and driven to the edge of madness with grief she wandered the streets of London until her due date, and ended up giving birth to him in an orphanage, living only long enough to name him after his father, and hers. He was raised there, knowing nothing of his family and why they had abandoned him. He grew angry and bitter towards everyone around him, and as his magical talents began to develop he used them to hurt others. Dumbledore brought him to Hogwarts, to try to give him a better life, and an education into the ways of his mother's people, but by then it was too late to save him. He was cruel and manipulative, and schooled himself in dark magic. He killed his father, and his grandparents, and I can't even count how many other people beyond those he needed to create his Horcruxes." I stopped. My own memories of tracking those cursed objects were still too fresh, and to avoid beginning to tremble at them I took another long drink. This allowed Draco to step back in.

"I cannot let my sister travel the same path Daniel. Her life may have begun in a similar fashion; not with love, but with deception and rape and abandonment, but I must believe that she can grow beyond that curse."

"But what do you mean to do Draco?"

"I'll raise her myself. I'm old enough, money is not an issue, I have a house to take her to. I will hire servants to help me with her."

"You will bring her to a home Draco, not just a house." I reached out to take his hand again. "We will raise her together, we will be a family. And she will know love and acceptance. You will both come home with me. We'll fashion a nursery, and Kreacher will be beside himself with excitement."

I felt the sting of tears behind my eyes as I spoke, but I had known since the moment that Aurora had finished the letter's story that it was what was supposed to happen. Draco had known it too. It was the only thing to be done, and likely it was the reason we'd been summoned back to the castle in the first place. Though they would likely never admit it, Minerva and Aurora could not have missed the parallels I had just explained to Daniel. It was the outcome they were hoping for, to stave off a repeat of the nightmare. All that remained was to go and tell them.

And so we did.