Chapter 11

In a few hours, the Dark Lord had left for an unknown location and almost everyone had gone to bed. Narcissa informed Draco that his training with Bellatrix would start at seven o'clock in the morning the next day before she hurried off to her bedroom, which was on the fourth floor. Draco was unable to sleep.

The thought of his mission kept him awake. He was having trouble developing an assassination plan. He didn't know where to start and every time an idea came to mind, he'd quickly realize that it wasn't logical or it was just plain stupid.

It was past midnight when Draco heard sobbing from the room next to his. He had never really paid much attention to who occupied the rooms around him. The crying was soft, but it was definitely audible. He heard a door creek open and the weeping stopped abruptly.

"Barty?" came Sky Lorrel's voice from the other room. There was shuffling and footsteps. Draco listened through the wall.

"I just heard you," said Crouch. "And I wanted to check that you were alright."

"That's kind of you, Barty," replied Sky softly. "I was just thinking about what happened today."

"At least no one was killed," Crouch said. "A few people were injured and you did an excellent job healing them, but that's not what's bothering you is it?"

There was a brief silence before Sky said, "No, it's because of her."

Draco didn't know who "her" was, and he was anxious to find out.

"Evelyn?" asked Crouch quietly.

"Yes," said Sky. "My sister…" Her voice trailed off and there was silence again until she continued.

"You never knew her before Hogwarts, Barty," Sky said. "I suppose she was alright at Hogwarts, but before that, well, she was the one of the sweetest people I'd ever met. I know it's hard to believe, but if you had only known her then... we were very close before Hogwarts, Evelyn and I, closer than most siblings are to each other. We lived in a neighborhood full of Muggles. The Muggles didn't understand us, but if any of them teased me, Evelyn would get back at them… well, that is if I didn't get back at them first."

Crouch said nothing, but Draco knew that he was listening intently.

"Maybe it's because I was sorted into Slytherin, and she was in Gryffindor," sighed Sky. "But after Hogwarts we sort of drifted apart. We still talked and joked with each other, but she was increasingly cold towards me. After my first year, we started arguing quite a lot. You were in the same year as me at Hogwarts; you know how I felt about the Gryffindors she was always around. From what I know, majority of them became Aurors and quite a few joined the Order.

"Evelyn didn't approve of my group of friends either. She kept saying that you and the other Slytherins were 'evil' and 'weird.' After Hogwarts, she became an Auror, and I started working with you and the other Death Eaters. She didn't know about that, but she suspected that I'd been using Dark magic. Then, as you know, there was the murder, and after that…"

Sky's voice trailed off. Draco was now up against the wall, eavesdropping. He wanted to hear about the murder.

"I know that she was really depressed after that, and I don't blame her," cried Sky. "But why did she join the Order? After the Dark Lord's downfall, I kept telling her how terrible they are and… and… I still don't understand what happened!" Sky let out another sob and Draco heard Crouch trying to console her.

"Sky," he muttered. "None of it is your fault."

"I know," wailed Sky. "But I'm just afraid that one day I'll be in a battle with the Order and I'll have to…"

"Kill her?" said Crouch.

There was another pause before Sky said, "Yes. Barty, forgive me for bringing this up, but when your father was alive and he was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, weren't you afraid that…"

"That I'd have to fight him?" said Crouch. "Yes, I was, even though we never really got along even before I became a Death Eater. I did fight him and the memories that I have of that duel still haunt me. I understand how you feel about Evelyn, Sky, but it's not your fault that she's who she is today."

"Nor is it your fault that your father is dead," Sky said. "It was a rebounding curse that killed him the day that you dueled him, Barty. You did not murder him."

"But I should have just dodged the curse." muttered Crouch.

"It was only instinct," said Sky. "I wouldn't think before blocking a killing curse cast by Evelyn. I'd be too panicked."

"In a way, I know that, Sky," replied Crouch. "But in a way, it still feels like I murdered him."

"You know what it's like," Sky sighed. "You know how it feels to be fighting for the Death Eaters even though you have family who's adamantly against the Dark Arts."

"Yes, I do," said Crouch. "And I'm sorry that I ever got you involved in all of this."

"Don't be," said Sky. "I can't imagine being with my sister right now, rejoicing whenever one of my old friends from school is murdered. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. It has never been an option for me to remain neutral, and I think that I picked the right side."

"And I'm glad that you picked this side." said Crouch.

There was a long period of silence. Draco was sure that something was going on. He wished that he could see through the wall and watch exactly what was happening. Sky and Crouch started muttering things to each other, but Draco couldn't make out most of what they were saying.

"I'm half-blood, Barty."whispered Sky.

"I know," murmured Crouch. "But your blood status doesn't matter."

After a moment, Sky said, "We should both probably get some sleep."

"You know that I don't sleep if I can help it," said Crouch. "I'm not really tired anyway."

"I know," Sky sighed. "You don't eat very often either… I'll skip telling you it's not healthy, because I know it's no use. Well, good-night, Barty."

"Good-night, Sky." said Crouch.

Draco heard a door close. He hoped that neither Sky nor Crouch would ever find out that he'd been eavesdropping. He still wasn't completely sure what the two of them had been doing, but whatever it was, Draco was almost certain that it had been very private. He speculated for a while about what possibly could have happened in the room next to his, and it took his mind off his mission long enough for him to fall asleep after a few minutes.