Chapter 19

Nott Manor. It seemed nearly abandoned when Cait arrived. Normally, it was relatively quiet when she and her brother were home from school, but tonight it seemed to lay empty and eerily silent. She had an idea of what Harry had been talking about when he asked her about an object that Voldemort would want. She remembered overhearing a conversation a few years prior.

It had been late at night and her father had assumed that all the kids were up in the play room sleeping, but Cait hadn't been. Cait had never been a good sleeper, and earlier in the evening she, Teddy and Draco had been eating the bag of sweets that Draco had gotten for his birthday. The sugar rush hadn't seemed to affect the boys who were now sound asleep in the sleeping bags laid out on the playroom floor, but it had affected Cait.

A noise had drawn her downstairs, though she couldn't say what the noise had been. But it was voices that had drawn her to the study.

"Thomas, this is the item that we previously discussed. I need you to keep it hidden. I will tell you when it is time to use it."

"Yes, my lord." Thomas Nott had consented.

"This is the very item that will ensure that even if my body is to die; my soul can be transferred one last time. Whomever is the recipient of this after my passing will be the one to go on and do great things."

"I am honored that you have chosen my offspring for such a great commendation, my lord."

Cait had not been able to see the item, but she had seen where her father had stowed it as she peered through the crack in the door.

"Meow?"

Cait quickly glanced down at her feet and saw their white house cat staring up at her. A brief glance through the crack in the door confirmed that her father had also heard it and was coming to investigate. As quickly as she could, Cait made a dash for the stairs and back into the playroom. She had just finished re situating herself in her sleeping bag when she door creaked open and a sliver of light fell over her face. Cait had never fought so hard to control her breathing as she was in that moment. After a few seconds, her father finally pulled the door shut and made his way back down stairs.

Now Cait was once again creeping around her own house in the dark. She couldn't be positive that her father wasn't home and she was taking every precaution not to get caught. The light in the study was turned off and Cait took it as a good sign.

Peering through the same crack in the door, Cait confirmed that the room was empty. Quickly she made her way to the bookshelf behind her father's desk and pulled out the familiar grey covered book. The spine announced that it was a study on magical artifacts, but Cait knew its secret. Opening the cover, she found the hidden pocket that held the object she was looking for: a simple golden ring with a sideways figure eight etched onto its band.

Cait heard noise down the hall. Quickly she shoved the book into place and slipped the ring onto her finger. She had just walked around to the front of the desk and casually propped her hip against it when the door pushed open.

"Caitlyn?" her father asked, fighting to keep his face blank. Cait wasn't sure what the emotion was that she had seen flicker through his eyes, but it looked almost like disappointment.

Lucius Malfoy stepped into the study behind her father, his eyes dancing with glee. "Ah, the escape artist has returned! The Dark Lord will be very pleased. Let us not keep the good news waiting, Thomas."
Thomas Nott nodded his head and stepped closer to his daughter. When Lucius had disapparated, Thomas grabbed hold of Cait's arm roughly. "What are you doing back here you stupid girl?" he asked quietly-but not harshly-as he disapparated with her in tow.

Draco awoke with a start. It was almost as if he could feel that something was wrong. His arm hovered over the empty space next to him in the bed.

"Dammit, Caity." he cursed softly. He wondered what she was going home for. No matter what it was, he knew it would be dangerous. The dark lord may not want her dead on arrival, but that could mean that he had something worse than death planned for her.

He struggled from the bed sheets and sat on the edge, staring at the still burning fire. He absently ran a hand through his hair and he thought of Cait. Finally he pulled on his pants and slipped his shirt over his shoulders. Once he had placed his shoes on his feet and collected the rest of his belongings, he made his way out of the Room of Requirements and back to the Slytherin common room. He needed a long, hot shower.