I Know You Know Who I Am

by TheSecretAdmirer

2nd of Eden Trilogy/Sequel to Enemy of My Enemy. 5 years later, Leolin returns to find everything has changed and Draco is engaged to another woman. She struggles to win back his love & trust while facing the demons of her past. As darkness begins to fall, she realises she might have to choose between the man she loves and rescuing the world from a familiar evil...COMPLETE! RE-READ

21. Chapter 20: Sleepaway Camp

A/N: This ones a doozy! It's almost twice the length of other chapters, and to be honest, I'm not sure I'm happy with it. I really need your feedback on this one, it really helps me set a course! I look forward to your thoughts, comments, preidictions, etc Also for your grammar fiends, I am sure this thing is full of errors, and I will go back and fix them tomorrow! Thanks and PLEASE REVIEW!

Chapter 20: Sleepaway Camp

Adrian woke up, sat up, and groaned. His head was pounding from the night before, and he was mildly convinced he was going to throw up. Bloody tequila. He rubbed his head and gave an irritated growl to the bird rapping its beak on the window. He glanced at the softly ticking clock on his bedside table (which in reality was simply a shabby cardboard box) and swore. It was only six fifty-five.

What the blood hell could Burgis want? Surely he could survive one day without belittling and Adrian. Besides, it was Saturday, for Merlin's sake.

The rapping continued, and Adrian swore before standing, his head pounding as he did so. He leveled a sound kick at one of the boxes in his way. It only served to make him more annoyed. He'd been living like this ever since his bitch of a wife divorced him six months ago. Fucking Isobel. She cheated and yet still she managed to make off with the nearly every sickle of his parents' modest fortune. What an evil, vile little bitch she was.

Finally he'd reached the window, and despite being naked, he yanked it open, allowing a large horned owl to swoop in. Finally the bird came to stand on the window ledge again, extending his leg to Adrian. It was an official Ministry owl. He eyed the bird with contempt before snatching the note, which had been written on expensive parchment.

Cadet Pucey,

You have been summoned for a personal audience with the Minister of Magic this morning, the 4 of April, at eight o'clock. Your attendance is mandatory.

Signed,

Finlay Reed, special undersecretary to the Minister.

Adrian flopped back down on the bed and groaned. What was this bollocks about? Somewhere in the mess of pillows and sheets, a woman gave a soft moan of disapproval.

"What are you doing up, darling?" she muttered sleepily. "Come have a lie-in with me."

"Don't be a dumb slag, Davis," Adrian sneered. "I have work."

"But it's Saturday," Tracy said, sitting up and touching the smooth skin of his back. "Surely you don't have to work on a Saturday."

"I'm an Auror," Adrian snapped. "I have to worked when I'm called. What are you still doing here, anyway? I'm tired of looking at you. Get out."

"That's not what you were saying to me last night at the Em," Tracy said huffily, looking for her knickers.

"Tell me you didn't actually think I wanted more out of this than I've already gotten," Adrian said condescendingly.

"I can't believe you lied and told me you'd liked me since school! That's so foul, Pucey," she snapped, clearly hurt.

"It's not my fault you were dumb enough to believe it," Adrian defended. "I married Isobel Lorde; obviously I could do better than the likes of you."

"Of course," Tracy said, almost fully dressed now. "How could I forget? How's that working out for you, by the way? Being married to her?"

"Get out," he growled, and she gave a soft laugh at boiled his blood.

"With pleasure," she said, quickly re-dressing into her revealing dress. "This place is a bloody dump anyhow."

She disappeared with a crack, and Adrian gave another scream of annoyance, mostly because she was right. Of all the grand plans he'd had for himself after school, nearly all of them had fallen through. He was rich—at least he had been—he was good-looking, and he was smart. Obviously he deserved more than this. Unfortunately, the universe didn't seem to agree.

He'd graduated Auror training at the top of his class, but was a glorified desk jockey at the office thanks to his infuriatingly righteous boss James Burgis. The only flat he could afford after the divorce was a dreary one bedroom on Knockturn, and before last night's extremely disappointing performance, he hadn't shagged anyone in months.

Kicking another box, he made his way to his cramped and dingy bathroom, standing under the luke-warm water for a few minutes before getting out and getting dressed. The paper had been delivered by the time he got out, and the headline made him roll his eyes.

LOVE IS IN THE HEIR: DRACO MALFOY FINALLY GOES PUBLIC WITH NEW ROMANCE

Adrian glanced at the picture and grit is teeth. Draco was standing casually in an expensive tux, his arm wound around a lovely blonde, who The Prophet had identified as a wealthy American witch named Genevieve Beauchene. Adrian had met her once, at his wedding to Isobel, and it annoyed him to see that Draco always managed to land on his bloody fucking feet. For a moment, Adrian indulged in a fantasy where he fucked Lefevre silly on the Slytherin Common Room floor while Malfoy was forced to stand by and watch her perfect tits bounce as she begged Adrian's name. The thought made his cock twitch, and he growled in frustration.

Giving the picture a last look, Adrian grabbed his wand and looked at his watch before apparating away.

He arrived outside the Muggle phone booth on Delves Street a few moments later, slipping inside at once and allowing it to deliver him downwards into the ministry.

Seeing as it was Saturday, the domed lobby was nearly empty when he arrived. Adrian strode right for the lift, stuffing one arm underneath the other. He still felt a bit nauseous, and he was beginning to grow somewhat uneasy. He'd only met Lucius Malfoy once or twice when he and his ex-wife had come to his parents for a dinner party or a cocktail soiree, but Adrian had to admit neither time had been exceedingly pleasant. There was really no denying that Lucius Malfoy was an intimidating man.

Finally he arrived on the executive floor, trying to seem casual as he sauntered out. He'd never been to this part of the ministry, and it oozed corruption and power.

"Cadet Pucey?" a man asked, appearing almost instantaneously at his side. "I'm Finlay Reed."

Adrian grit his teeth in annoyance. He wasn't a cadet anymore; he'd graduated the Auror Academy more than three months ago.

"Pleasure," Adrian said coolly, eying the man. He was unpleasantly thin with a nose far too large to be attractive on any face, least of all his.

"The minister will see you now," Reed said, ushering Adrian forward.

Adrian gave a small turn of his lips as Finlay all but pushed him through the door and shut it behind him. Lucius was sitting at his desk when Adrian arrived, and though he didn't smile, his eyes glittered.

"Adrian," he said as if they were old chums. "Come in and sit."

"Thank you, sir," Adrian said simply, doing as he was told and sinking into the plush seat Lucius was gesturing to.

They were quiet for a minute, and Adrian tried not fidget, though it was admittedly hard.

"So," Lucius said at last, as if satisfied he had sufficiently intimidated Adrian. "You're probably wondering why I've asked you here."

"A little, I suppose, sir," Adrian said.

"I've been following your path since school, Adrian; I think you're terribly clever. Far more clever than James Burgis gives you credit for."

"I—" Adrian fumbled. "Thank you, sir."

"You graduated at the top of the Academy, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"And your aptitude tests are off the charts."

"I'm not sure I really know, sir."

Lucius studied him with scrutiny. Adrian could tell he was growing tired of Adrian's schoolboy reluctance.

"Are you happy in the Aurors' Office, Adrian?"

"Of course, sir," Adrian said too quickly. "It's a great honour."

Lucius smiled.

"You don't have to lie to me," he said. "I know you're being underutilised there."

"I trust Mr. Burgis's judgment," Adrian said, fighting to remain diplomatic.

"I don't," Lucius said. "That's why I fired him this morning."

"What?" Adrian said, unable to contain his surprise. "Why?" he blurted.

Lucius gave a casual sneer.

"He's going to marry Ariadne Madoc. As you know, she is no friend to this office, so I gave Burgis a choice, and he chose wrong."

"I—" Adrian licked his lips. "Why are you telling me this, sir?"

Lucius tossed a heavy gilded badge on the table.

"I want you to take his place."

"Me?" Adrian repeated. "Chief? Sir, I'm don't turn twenty-four until next October. I'm the youngest Auror in the office."

"Listen to me, Adrian," Lucius said. "I believe there is greatness in your future, and I think we could work very well together, but I need you to stop acting like a schoolboy and start acting like a man. I am offering you the opportunity to stand by my side and change the world, but only if you have to stones to step up. Do you?"

"I—I'm not what sure what to say, sir," Adrian stammered.

"Don't be a fool," Lucius said in snarling annoyance in his eyes. "Say yes."

"I—"

"It comes with a large pay raise, of course, almost one hundred thousand galleons a year, along with other perks."

Adrian's mind raced. He saw the life he'd always invisioned coming back together. He imagined the handsome brownstone he'd owned before he'd married Isobel and the nice things he'd had the the expensive liquor he'd drank. Under Lucius's patronage, he could flourish."

"I'd be honoured, sir," Adrian said finally.

"I thought you might be," Lucius said smugly. "Now, I just need your reassurance that I have you complete and utter loyalty."

"You do, sir," Adrian said at once, feeling a little giddy now. "Of course."

"Good," Lucius said. "Because if you were to betray my confidence, I would have to flay you slowly and carefully, you understand."

Adrian met his eye, his reveling slightly dampened.

"I understand. Anything you need, I'm yours."

"And you aren't afraid if things get a little—messy?"

A dark grin dawned on Adrian's face.

"Certainly not, sir."

"That's a good lad. Now, Tell me what you know about necromancy."

---

Leolin stood staring into the bowl, trying to calm her raging heartbeat. The memories in the bowl stirred before her, enticing her to join them in the shadowy pool. She took another deep breath before tipping forward into the basin.

As she did, the world around her began to bleed away, the glass walls of her flat melting as she felt headlong into the darkness. It felt like she had been spinning for every by the time the world began to materialise again.

Leolin looked around, recognising the time and place immediately. It was odd; she hadn't known this was where she would end up. She must have dwelt on this memory more than she even realised.

There was already a fire burning in the hearth of her father's library at the Chateau, but it had begun to die, and it cast creeping shadows across the Persian rugs and mahogany-paneled walls. There was a grand Christmas tree in the corner of the room, and it too emitted a soft glow. Leolin took the room in slowly before turning to watch the two figures in the room circle around each other.

The low light caught Draco with particular poignance, and he looked ever bit the fallen angel as he traipsed farther into the room, flicking the door closed with a wave of his hand. The shadows gave him an otherworldly appearance, and the dying light set his golden head aflame.

Leolin came close and studied him, her eyes dancing across his face. He'd always seemed so mature-looking to her, but as she gazed into his seventeen-year-old face, she realised how much of an adolescent he had still been then. Now that she was accustomed to seeing him as an adult, teenage Draco seemed scrawny by comparison, and his face looking impossibly young. She yearned to reach out and stroke his smooth cheek.

"So," he said at last, pausing to lean on the mantle. "What should we talk about?"

The present Leolin turned to look at the person he was addressing. It was so odd to stare into the face of one's former self, and Leolin studied her sixteen-year-old counterpart as the latter leaned against the cold pane of the window, watching Draco intently.

"Why are you here?" younger Leolin asked in a small, sad voice.

Draco considered this, looking down into the hissing flames for a moment before staring back at her. When he spoke his voice was quiet but intense.

"You told me that as long as I was under my father's control that we could never be together. Do you still feel that way?"

"You know I do," she said quietly.

Leolin watched her own expression intently, studying all the trepidation and fear. She shook her head. This girl didn't even know what it meant to be afraid of Lucius Malfoy.

"Good," Draco said seriously. "Then I didn't do it for nothing."

"Didn't do what for nothing?" sixteen-year-old Leolin asked suspiciously. He was sauntering towards her now, his steps slow but deliberate.

Present-day Leolin could still remember the feeling of his eyes on her in that moment. It had been intoxicating.

His eyes didn't leave her face, waiting to read her reaction. "I dissolved my trust this morning and abdicated my role as the Malfoy heir. It'll be in the paper tomorrow."

Younger Leolin gave a small frown as she considered, her eyes skidding across the graceful angles of his face. He came a bit closer, and though she tensed a little, she didn't move away.

"You did that for me?" she asked at last, incredulous.

Draco clenched his jaw, as if warring with himself.

"Leolin," he said at last, stepping towards her.

Leolin remembered thinking he looked agitated, annoyed even, but as she looked at him now, she could tell he was just terribly nervous. It was so rare that Draco didn't have the upper hand.

"I would do anything for you," Draco said at last. "Why can't you see that?"

He made to touch Leolin's cheek and she took another step back, turning to look out at the snowy gardens instead.

"How do I know I can trust you?" She demanded quietly, turning around and eying him critically.

Leolin could see the hurt and betrayal shining in her younger self's eyes.

"You don't," Draco said, his gaze wolfish now. "You just have to have faith. But there's a storm coming, and you're going to need my protection when it does."

Sixteen-year-old Leolin slid closer again, her fingers trailing against the glass. He watched her approach keenly.

"What's coming?" she asked.

He slid closer, too, carefully reaching forward and fingering one of her diamond earrings. His eyes flicked to hers. His voice was still arrogant, but he did not look nearly as smug or confident as he usually did.

"Give me a kiss and I'll tell you."

"What about your father?" former Leolin asked seriously, shrugging away from his touch again.

"You are your mother's daughter," Draco admitted softly, the predatory edge in his tone fading into concern. "You'll always be a threat to him. But if you let me, I can protect you, I swear."

Present-day Leolin bit her lip; if only that had been true.

By this time sixteen-year-old Leolin was practically in his arms, and his eyes glinted as he looked down at her, careful not to touch her this time. Present-day Leolin held her breath, knowing her life was about to be irrevocably marked by what came next.

"Leolin—" Draco said in a serious voice when she didn't reply. He paused, clearly plagued by some sort of inner turmoil. However, he steeled himself, drawing up to his full height and squaring his shoulders even as he angled his head down to look at her.

Leolin bit her lip harder, begging his memory to say the words she might never hear from him again.

"I—," Draco licked his lips, looking down at the floor before gazing at past Leolin again intently. "I love you."

Leolin felt the scene fading as she was yanked roughly upwards. She emerged back into reality with a heaving gasp, her eyes swinging wildly around she as tried to determine what had brought her back. Ginny was standing just to her left, hey eyes shimmering with concern as she stood with arms crossed.

"Gin," Leolin said, taking another heaving breath before flopping on the leather sofa and watching the disc of the pensieve rotate slowly. "What are you doing here?"

"Be careful with that thing," Ginny said solemnly, sounding like Leolin's mother. "It makes it surprisingly easy to lose touch with what's real."

Leolin nodded.

"Good to know."

Ginny came and sat down next to her, still eying her.

"How did you even get that out of our flat? Blaise is still convinced he just misplaced it somewhere."

"I knicked it," Leolin said, smiling a little.

"How?" Ginny demanded, smiling as well "I was with you all night!"

"How quickly they forget," Leolin said, shaking her head in mock disgust. "I'm in internationally-renowned art thief, remember?"

"I thought you were an internationally-sought criminal," Ginny said, nudging Leolin's shoulder.

"Two sides of the same coin, darling," Leolin said. "Where'd Blaise get this thing, anyways? Aren't they fairly rare? And not to mention hideously expensive."

"They are," Ginny agreed. "But it's Draco's, so I think that explains itself. Merlin only knows what shady corner of the world he picked it up in. I certainly don't want to."

Leolin gave a small smile. "This is the sort of thing only Draco would have," she admitted. "How did you end up with it?"

"Blaise took it off him awhile back."

"Why?" Leolin asked, already feeling as if she could guess the answer.

Ginny gave a grim smile.

"Let's just say he was abusing it."

Leolin nodded.

"You probably ought to give it back to him," she said, and Ginny nodded.

"I hate to say this, but I think we might need it soon. It comes in handy for analyzing the memories of your spies."

Leolin chewed her lip.

"Welcome back to reality," she breathed dazedly to herself. She shook off her reverie and stood. "Tea?'

"Please," Ginny said, watching as Leolin wandered out of the room to put on the kettle. "So," she called, casually flipping through a book on Leolin's coffee table entitled The Strictures of Magical Wizarding Law. "What were you looking at, anyways?"

Leolin appeared a minute later with a tray with a kettle, two cups and saucers, and an array of different types of biscuits.

"Christmas eight years ago," Leolin said, trying not to sound wistful. "That the was the very first time Draco told me he loved me."

Leolin looked at her lap for a second and Ginny touched her knee.

"Chin up, darling," Ginny said. "Fight's not over yet."

"I know," Leolin said, looking up. "And honestly, with you on my side it's like a whole different fight."

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"You're damn straight it is."

Leolin looked down into her teacup again.

"When's the last time you've seen him?" she asked quietly.

"He came round the flat this morning," Ginny admitted. "Actually, that's why I'm here."

Leolin's heart jumped to her throat. She looked expectantly up at Ginny, who bit her lip.

"What?" Leolin said, reading her expression at once. "What did he say about me? What it that bad?"

Ginny shook her head.

"Or no, it's—not that. He hasn't said anything about that thing at The Em. Honestly, I think the whole thing really rattled his cage a bit."

"Well that makes two of us," Leolin said, inadvertently touching her still tender left wrist. She hadn't wanted to go to the healer and admit to anyone what had happend, and as a result it was still sore.

"Right," Ginny said, watching the action keenly before looking up at Leolin. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that bollocks up again. Anyways, this has nothing to do with that."

"Then what does him coming round to you lot's flat have to do with me?"

"Okay, I'll going to tell you, but don't be—overhasty in your answer, alright?"

"Gin, you're really not making me happy over here," Leolin said, trying not to fret.

"Alright," Ginny said. "Well, as you know, we've been assembling the new Order and trying to get it operational again."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, stop dancing around it and tell me what's going on."

"Look," Ginny said, sounding a touch desperate. "We all need to meet through some of the bigger issues, but it's not smart to keep meeting at Harry's place. First of all, it's not really big enough to fit everyone, and we think Pucey might be watching the house. Or at least trying to."

"Alright, and?"

"And, you know, Kelly and Ieuan and Max all have World Cup coming up, so they around going to be around to meet regularly."

"And?"

"We're all going away for a weekend for a major conference. That way we don't have to keep coming to and fro and attracting loads of attention. We're going to go away from prying eyes and ears and get this whole thing started once and for all. Lauren's third husband left him a place in the country after the divorce, and it's perfect for what we need. We're going to establish it as our base of operations."

"I'm sorry," Leolin said. "And this applies to me how?"

"Well, obviously you've been asked to be there," Ginny said carefully.

"Right," Leolin said. "Just so we're clear, you are basically trying to convince me to come to sleep-away camp with you this weekend?"

"It's not sleep-away camp!" Ginny demanded. "It's a way for us to make some kind of strategies going forward."

"I thought you lot had been doing that! What are you saying, you've just been sitting on your thumbs this whole time?"

"No," Ginny said, frowning at Leolin's crudeness. "Of course we haven't, but we need to start pulling all the threads together and we need a place off the map. This weekend away will achieve both those ends simultaneously. Besides, no one has made progress with Audige's stupid riddle yet. We need to crack it and get a move on."

"Well that's brilliant," Leolin said, standing. "You'll have to let me know how that goes."

"C'mon, Lai, we need you!" Ginny said, standing as well. "And frankly, you need this, too. I know you've been putting off seeing Draco since The Em, and I don't blame you. But it's time to stop running from him."

"No," Leolin said emphatically. "This is bloody South Carolina all over again. I'm not going to be cooped with Draco and Gen again. I can't do it; it's too much, and I honestly can't promise that this time I wouldn't rip her fucking head from her sodding shoulders. Do you know what she said to me the last time I saw her? 'You can't give him the one thing he wants most in this world. I still can.' I'm sorry, but I'm not going back to that. Ever."

"It's not South Carolina, though," Ginny said, grabbing her hand. "You have me and Blaise now. As for what Gen said, come with me this weekend and we'll make her suffer together."

"Gin," Leolin said seriously. "I don't think you understand how painful it is to be in Draco's presence. Honestly, it's excruciating."

"So, what?" Ginny asked in a soft, sad voice. "Are you just going to hide from him until you break the gag?"

Leolin shrugged, sinking back down and tucking her head between her knees.

"I don't know," Leolin admitted.

"How close are you to breaking it?"

Leolin should her head.

"Not close at all."

"That's all the more reason for you to go, then," Ginny said. "Look, I know you've been through hell with Draco these last few months and you're intent on breaking this gag, but you have to face the truth: you may not break it in time."

"Thanks," Leolin said. "That's very helpful."

Ginny caught Leolin's chin and tilted it up so she could look her in the eye.

"You misunderstand me," Ginny said softly. "I'm saying that you can't put all your eggs in one basket, Bug. I know you think he won't love you until he knows the truth, but the reality is that he already does! You've put too much stock in breaking the gag."

Leolin's eyebrows knitted together as she bit her lip.

"No," she breathed unhappily. "You're putting too little into it! He turned me away in Atlanta because I couldn't tell him what happened all those years ago! It doesn't matter what he feels for me; he'll never let himself admit it until I stop lying to him. Deep down you know that. Without breaking the gag, he'll marry Gen; you know he will."

"I don't agree," Ginny said resolutely. "But if you feel that strongly then you still have to go this weekend!"

"Haven't you been listening?" Leolin demanded. "I can't!"

"Look," Ginny said fiercely. "I know that you're a brilliant witch, but you can't do this alone! If you're serious about shutting this thing down, you need a professional curse-breaker to help you."

"I can't bring someone else in on this," Leolin insisted.

Ginny grabbed her cheeks.

"You don't have a choice, Lai. Time is damn near up. Talk to Max's friend from New Orleans; he can help you with this. Or Geoff Blackburn, even."

"How do we know we can trust either of them, though?"

"Max has vouched for Chaisson up and down. Blackburn, I don't know, consider it a leap of faith. Besides, what choice do we have?" Ginny countered softly.

Leolin hung her head.

"What you want is incredibly difficult," Ginny said, and Leolin knew she was right. "If you're serious about having it, I'm afraid you're going to have to make tough choices."

Leolin nodded.

"You can do this," Ginny said reassuringly. "I have faith in you. Blaise and I both do."

"You're right," Leolin said. "I can't keep running scared."

"That's my girl," Ginny standing up. "I'm proud of you."

"Don't be proud just yet," Leolin said. "Wait until I've gotten through the weekend without drive a carving knife into Gen's heart."

Ginny smiled.

"I have faith in you. There should be a port key delivered something this afternoon. Be there no later than five tomorrow."

Leolin nodded, taking a big breath.

"Right," she said. "Thanks. See you there."

"Don't forget to write you name in all your clothes," Ginny said, heading for the door.

Leolin laughed.

"I won't."

Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"See you at camp, then."

---

Leolin checked her watch before glancing in the mirror again. After a long deliberation, she'd combed Lungaria tonic through her shoulder length hair, and now it was as long as it had been when they were in school, as long as it had been before the wedding. It was time to stop living with a foot in both her realities. It was time to fully set Naomi and La Genie and Florence aside and be who she was always meant to be.

It was a bit of a bother to have hair this long again, but it was also somewhat comforting. It felt like armour.

She checked her watched again. Two minutes until the portkey left. She turned back to the mirror, smoothing her leather trousers. She wore only a casual sweater on top, as if she hadn't noticed how sinful her trousers were.

She thought at first she was wearing them to torture Draco, but she realized after a while it was really to torture Gen. She hadn't forgotten the way Gen had treated her in Atlanta, and despite her protestations, she was still half-convinced Gen had had no intention of sending Draco to rescue her in New Orleans. If he hadn't happened to call her first, Leolin would be dead or worse right now.

One minute.

She grabbed her overnight bag and purse before clenched the chipped porcelain cat figurine in her fist. She shut her eyes, waiting for the familiar jerk. Finally, it came, and she felt herself soaring away. After several minutes she felt herself slowing and she began to kick her legs. However, she was coming in faster than she'd anticipated, and she eventually fell in a heap on the ground. A flash of Adrian's glinting eyes passed across her mind, and she shuddered.

She grabbed the chipped porcelain cat figurine, clenching it tightly in her fist as she counted down to zero. She shut her eyes, waiting for the familiar jerk. Finally, it came, and she felt herself soaring away. After several minutes she felt herself slowing and she began to kick her legs. However, she was coming in faster than she'd anticipated, and she eventually fell in a heap on the ground."Oh come on," she growled, standing and dusting herself off.

She saw a set of large wrought-iron gates about a hundred yards in the distance, a stately mansion beyond them. Rolling her eyes, she trekked over, noticing the large lion's head that was worked into the medal. Suddenly, it animated, and she screamed.

"Name?" it boomed, eyes gleaming like red rubies.

"Umm," she fumbled. "Leolin Lefevre?"

"Left hand," it demanded, and unsure, she extended her hand, laying it carefully on the lion's iron head.

It shuddered at her touch, and she gave another involuntary shriek.

"Enter," it said at last, fading back into lifelessness as the gates swung in.

"Maleficent," Leolin breathed, passing through. "I need a drink."

When she reached the large oak door she knocked, but the minute her fingers brushed the wood, it vibrated in recognition and opened of it's own accord.

"Hello?" Leolin called, looking around. "Anyone home?"

Suddenly a note appeared from somewhere above her, fluttering down into her outstretched palm.

Lai,

You're in the room just at the top of the stairs; don't worry, it's nowhere near Gen and Drake. Come to the lounge when you get settled. We're having drinks.

Ginny

Leolin read the note and nodded before dumping her things in her lavish guest room and heading back down the stairs. After getting lost several times, she heard the din of voices and followed it to a set of double doors near the back of the house. Absently, she wished she had freshened up before she'd come down. Too late now. She smoothed the supple leather of her trousers before approaching the door. However, a voice stopped her before she could reach it.

"So it's true. Our princess lives! Alléluia!"

Leolin turned to see Max's friend Felix sauntering towards her, the origins of a smile glimmering in his close-set eyes. He was dressed more casually than he had been in Atlanta, and he'd run some sort of pomade through his tawny hair, as the top stood up stylishly in every direction.

"Chaisson," she replied, surveying him dispassionately and remembering what Ginny had said about the gag. "Good, you're here."

"I am," he said in genteel tone. "Something I can help you with, ma belle? I am, as always, your humble servant."

"Everything you do doesn't have to be a floor show, you know" Leolin pointed out. "This isn't a vaudville show."

He held up his hands and gave an affable smile. Despite his inescapable Quebecois accent, he had the likeable ease of an American.

"Forgive me, then." He said. "I suppose I assumed you weren't glad to see me because you want to be friends."

"I'm afraid I have too many friends as it is. I don't I really need any more."

He gave a discerning frown.

"One can always use more friends. It's rather sad you don't agree."

He had a point, and his candid look was admittedly rather disarming.

"I suppose you're right," she admitted.

He gave a dazzling smile, extending a hand.

"Friends, then."

She slid hers into his open palm. He used to opportunity to pull her closer and grin.

"Though I have to confess I'd rather we become something a touch more interesting than friends."

"Ugh!" she cried, retracting her hand and pushing him. "Just when I thought I could actually grow to like you!"

"Max mentioned you weren't seeing anyone," Felix explained casually. "I suppose I felt I had to at least try."

"Oh please," she said, giving him a condescending sneer. "You didn't honestly think that pathetic little maneuver was going to work on me, did you?"

He bit his lip, looking only a trifle embarrassed.

"You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take," he said mildly. "I learned that from Brank."

"Bleh!" she exclaimed in disgust. "Has anyone ever told you that you're despicable?" she asked.

His dark eyes twinkled merrily as he smiled.

"Not to my face."

"Then allow me to be the first," she evenly. " Felix Renard Chaisson, you are bloody despicable."

"No need to be so disgusted," he pointed out. "I have been told I'm rather dashing."

"Like I said," she gross. "Despicable. Excuse me."

"See you soon, then," he called jovially after her.

"Tu peux toujours rêver," she replied, shaking her head and turning her back to him and facing the door at last.

She was frankly surprised she wasn't more annoyed by his antics. Then again, perhaps she was just too busy being worried about what came next. She closed her eyes, and she could still feel Draco's cool breath on her cheek as he glared down at her at The Em, eyes flashing. Then, before she could stop herself, she imagined the way Adrian had cruelly forced her to beg his name. Her wrist ached dully, and she banished that thought as soon as it surfaced. She took a deep breath and opened the doors. Here was hoping Draco'd cooled down.

She pushed the doors in confidently, striding in and greeting the ranks for familiar faces, the numbers of whom had begun to grow. Harry and Grace were there, as were Pansy, Tieran, Ieuan, and Vik. Max was there, by this time chatting with Felix, and so was Nikki Clearwater, who was standing near Pansy. Leolin waded through them all, saying her hellos until her eyes finally found Ginny.

She was standing next to Blaise , and Leolin made for them, ignoring the knots in her stomach as they began to swell at the sight of Draco standing casually to their right.

"Lai!" Ginny exclaimed, opening her arms and hugging Leolin's fiercely. She came forward a bit so Leolin wasn't forced to face Draco right away. He was heading slowly but deliberately in their direction. "Nice trousers!"

"Thanks," Leolin laughed.

"Did you ride your motorbike over here?" Blaise called, eying her warmly.

"Just because you don't have to arse for these doesn't mean you have to be jealous," Leolin warned casually, raising her eyebrows.

"Did you see that Chaisson is here?" Ginny interrupted, grabbing Leolin's wrist affectionately. Leolin winced and jerked away.

Ginny frowned as Leolin cradled it.

"Sorry!" she said. "You okay?"

"Fine!" Leolin said too quickly. "I slipped getting out of the shower this morning."

"Oh okay," Ginny said dubiously. "Well you should go talk to him when you get the chance."

Blaise looked at Ginny sharply, who shook her head to indicate it wasn't what he thought.

"I've already spoken to him," Leolin admitted. "It was—less than productive."

There was no more to be said because Draco was on them now. Leolin took a deep breath and turned her glittering blue eyes on him. He was wearing a navy blazer with the collar turned up, and he looked sinful. His light eyes were sparkling with an odd malice, which she assumed might have still something to do with The Em. Still, it was uncomfortably to bear, whatever the reason. She took another deep breath and addressed him as casually as she could.

"Malfoy," she said, proud at the evenness in your tone. "Nice to see you."

"Lefevre," he replied, studying her face. "You look different."

She knew what he meant: she looked less sad and broken than she'd been at The Em. However, she merely gave a small smile in return.

"Very astute," Leolin said. "I changed my hair."

She made a point of running her hands casually through it, making it gleam in the light. She knew she looked more like his Leolin than ever.

Her eyes danced across his face, daring him to look at her. Finally he did, and she could tell he liked the change.

"So you did," he said at last, trying to gain back his footing. "Though I actually meant that after your little striptease at The Em, I hardly recognise you with all your clothes on."

Leolin only smiled, though her heart sprinted in her chest.

"I don't see how that's possible," she chirped, giving a charming smile and refusing to let him get away with being unkind. "After all, you've seen me in every possible state of undress."

Leolin raised her eyebrows saucily.

"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed somewhat delightedly. "Checkmate, Draco."

Draco, physically incapable of letting anyone else have the last word, leaned into her, eyes glittering.

"Yes," he said in a rich, deep voice. "I haven't forgotten."

Just then Gen sauntered up, immediately plastering herself to his side. He let his hand slide down her back to her arse, giving it a subtle squeeze even as he continued staring at Leolin.

"Leolin," Gen said, her tone warm as ever. "It's so good to see you again. We've honestly been worried sick about you."

Even after all the horrid things Gen had done to her, Leolin had to admit what a talent she had for feigning kindness. The way she was looking at Leolin with a delicate mix of concern and relief almost made Leolin want to run into her arms.

Almost.

"Oh," she said dismissively, looking between Draco and Gen as they both bored her to tears. "We're back to this charade, are we? Very well. Gen, I'm so happy you're here. I hope you've been doing well."

Ginny gave a small smirk, her distain for Gen subtle but palpable.

Despite this barb, Gen remained smiling blithely. However, Leolin could see in Gen's eyes that she'd sensed the power shift, and she was ill-at-ease with the thought of going up against Leolin, Ginny, and—by proxy—Blaise.

"Play nice, Lefevre," Draco said, his voice cool but eyes glittering as he surveyed her.

Leolin tossed her long hair over her shoulder casually, and Draco couldn't help but admire it.

"That's the only way I know how," Leolin countered, admittedly agitated by his interference on Gen's behalf. "Excuse me."

She shot Ginny a wink before sauntering off, Draco's eyes skating down her back as she did. As soon as she was far enough away, she took a steadying breath, fighting to remain neutral in her expression. Shake it off, she told herself. Keep it together. She felt a hand on her back and she turned, happy for any form of distraction.

"Leolin," Kelly said, smiling as she faced him. "Fighting fit again, I see."

"You know me," Leolin said, her eyes lighting up as she took him in. "Nothing comes between me and trouble."

"Unfortunately, I do know," he said, taking in her new look. "Nice hair, by the way."

"It was time for a change," Leolin said, touching it softly.

"You look just like the Leolin I first met," Kelly agreed, smiling warmly down at her.

She bit her lip as she fended off a blush. Bollocks, this was seventeen all over again.

"Is Cara here?" she asked, finding it oddly difficult to set aside what had transpired between then the last time she'd seen Kelly. "You know I'm dying to meet her."

"No," Kelly laughed. "She had some things to sort out in London. She's probably put out not to be, though. Nothing gets between that woman and a social gathering."

"Be honest," Leolin said. "Have you made her up to just to try and put me off?"

His honey eyes glimmered as he gave a merry laugh.

"Would I really put off you if I was single?"

"I don't know," she laughed casually, shrugging.

Kelly looked over her shoulder, which meant that Draco was still staring them down. She ought to walk away; it wasn't her intention to flame Draco's jealousy. Still, Kelly had always been a balm for Draco's malice.

"Yes you do," he said bluntly. "Anyways, Cara's got contacts in the ministry, and pretty high up. She's trying to shore up support with them. You'll meet her in Germany, though. I promise."

"I'm looking forward to it," she said.

"Right," Blaise called, whipping his wand and summoning a large table for the middle of the room. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"Yes, if Lefevre and Troy are finished re-enacting their ill-fated love affair, I think we can start," Draco said, eying Kelly disdainfully.

"Jealous, Malfoy?" Kelly said, throwing a casual arm around Leolin's shoulder as the room fell into place.

Leolin rolled her eyes and pushed his arm off. She refused to be part of this tug-of-war again, especially because at the core of things, it wasn't even about her. Kelly and Draco had been destined to hate one another long before Leolin came into the picture.

"Not at all," Draco said, trying and failing to give Leolin a dismissive look. In reality, his eyes lingered a second too long, and it made Leolin's heart thud wetly in her chest.

"Knock it off, Drake, "Blaise said in warning, his eyes flicking to Leolin. "We don't have time for this rot."

"Zabini's right," Tieran said in a commanding tone. "This is childish."

"Tell that to him," Draco venomously, gesturing to Kelly. "He's the one tripping over Lefevre and her leather trousers. Honestly mate, you're married, for Merlin's sake. Stop crawling on all fours after her like you're her dog."

"Well that was colourful," Felix said delightedly, sinking down in his chair next to Max. "This should be good."

"Stay out of this," Pansy warned, and Felix smiled and shrugged.

"Please, Draco, isn't that enough?" Gen said, her voice almost pleading.

Draco turned and they traded a look. Leolin's stomach clenched. Happy as she was to see Draco and Kelly stop fighting, it pained her to watch Gen exert influence; it meant she still had some. Draco finally acquiesced to Gen, turning his back to Kelly completely and accepting Gen arms as they snaked around him.

"You know what?" Kelly said, sneering as he stared at Draco's retreating back; he looked angrier than Leolin had ever seen him. "You can talk a big game, mate, but we all saw you in Atlanta. Why don't you think about that before you start making accusations about people crawling on all fours."

Draco clenched his jaw then lunged at Kelly. Everyone was out of their seats at once, but it was Leolin, who was the closest, that intervened. She drew her wand and flourished it, a great gust blasting them apart. The action hurt her contused wrist a bit, but she ignored the spike of pain.

"That's enough!" Leolin snapped. "You're both acting like children."

"I fucking hate you," Kelly said to Draco as he got to his feet labouriously.

He winced as he rose, giving Leolin a look to suggest she wasn't his favourite person either at the moment. She met his eye boldly. She wasn't going to apologise to either of them for that.

"The feeling's mutual," Draco snapped, allowing Gen to come to his side and curl against him.

"Merlin, Leolin, you could have killed someone," Gen said, her pert mouth forming into a lovely little frown.

Secretly, Leolin thought she was probably glad for a reason for Draco to resent Leolin right then. Kelly was right; no one, least of all Gen, had failed to notice Draco's reaction when he thought he might lose Leolin.

"Right," Harry said, rolling his eyes at the boys. "Have you two had enough yet?"

"You ought to leave Troy," Draco was saying, smoothing his hair back into place as he glared at Kelly.

'This isn't your house," Kelly said. "I don't stay or go on your orders."

"Get out of my sight before I hex your face off," Draco sneered, drawing his wand.

"Gentleman," a new voice interrupted, banging the door open. "Enough."

Everyone turned to look, and Leolin smiled. Her cousin Blair had just strode in, Oliver Wood and Forest Lawrence flanking him.

"Blair!" Leolin exclaimed, running to her cousin's arms. It had been weeks since she'd seen him.

"Hey Bug," he said softly, tucking her under his arm as they three of them advanced. "Nothing ever changes, does it?"

"Between these two?" Leolin asked. "I'm afraid not."

"Stay out of this, Lefevre," Draco said mildly, his wand still on Kelly.

"Put your wand down, Malfoy," Blair replied in a tone that suggested there was still no love lost between them. He stepped between Draco and Kelly, arms outstretched towards both of them "Let's remember who the real enemy is."

"I haven't forgotten," Kelly said, his wand raised.

"C'mon KT; that's enough," Oliver said tiredly. "Let's all stop acting like we're still in school and start cooperating."

"So just so we've clear," Felix said, pretending to raise his hand as if he was in class. "There won't be a duel? That's admittedly very disappointing."

"Does he ever shut up?" Ginny demanded, looking at Max expectantly.

Max shrugged.

"If there's a way to make him, I certainly don't know it."

"Merlin," Harry growled. "This a bloody circus."

"No," Leolin countered. "This is what happens when you try to send adults to sleep-away camp."

"Alright," Tieran said as Draco and Kelly were finally convinced to sit down. "Now can we begin, or does someone else what to resurrect a petty, ten-year-old grudge?"

"If Malfoy can find it in himself not to a prick," Kelly sneered.

"Seems fairly unlikely," Forest said darkly. "After all, once a Slytherin..."

"Why don't you say that a bit louder?" Ieuan demanded, rising to his feet.

"Ieuan, don't you get involved," Vik warned.

"Better listen to daddy, baby bird," Forest said, and this brought Luke to his feet as well.

Leolin had never seen him get upset, and she had to admit it was a little scary.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke demanded quietly.

"Relax," Forest demanded. "That's not why I don't like you, so don't even go there."

"How comforting," Vik said, eyes glittering.

"Happy, Malfoy?" Kelly sneered. "Now you've whipped everyone into a frenzy."

"Did that all on his own, did he?" Blaise demanded.

"Perhaps you haven't noticed," Forest bit out. "But that's Malfoy's M.O."

"Sweet Merlin!" Harry boomed. "That's enough. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you lot? We've trying to fight a war, or have you forgotten?"

Ieuan and Vik traded a look and sank down, as did Forest. Kelly and Draco continued to glare at each other, but neither spoke.

"Honestly," Harry said. "I expect better from all of you. This is serious!"

"We know that," Forest bit out.

"Do you?" Max demanded as they eyed each other for the first time. "It's worse than tenth grade in here."

"How old do you suppose tenth grade is?" Ginny muttered to Leolin, who shrugged. "Ten?"

"Look," Harry continued. "The World Cup is in Bamberg in two weeks. We need to get our shite together before then, or we forfeit an opportunity we won't have again."

"First things first," Tieran said, his eyes hard as well. "Where are we with recruits?"

"Jack Mclatchie is in," Ieuan said. "I spoke to him a few days ago. Though his information is going to cost us."

"You're joking me," Nikki said with vitriol. "He's trying to shake us down? What a little twat."

"He's a scuzzball," Ieuan said mildly. "What can we do?"

"How do we know he won't just sell his allegiance to the highest bidder?" Tieran asked. "Pucey's pockets are just as deep as ours."

"He won't," Ieuan said grimly. "Remember Joanna Heathstead?"

"That posh girl from Ravenclaw?" Grace asked. "What about her?"

"Jackie always had this outrageous fancy for her."

"Course he did," Draco muttered irritably.

"Well I guess she worked at the Prophet and started writing rather unsavory things about Adrian. He threatened to ruin her career, but I guess she didn't believe him because she kept publishing stories about him and Ministry corruption. Adrian had her beaten within an inch of her life."

Leolin's blood went cold.

"There wasn't an investigation by the local authorities?" she demanded.

"Course there was," Ieuan said sadly. "But the evidence had all dried up, and so had the witnesses. Every knew that Adrian had done it, but there was no way to prove it."

"That's barbaric," Leolin said.

"That's what we're up against," Harry amended, eying Draco and Kelly, who had both sobered up considerably at Ieuan's story.

"Anyways," Ieuan said. "Joanna hasn't been quite right since the attack. They think she might have hit her head too hard, I don't know. Anyways, Jackie's not over it. He said he'd rather die than help Adrian, and for once I believe him."

Everyone bowed their heads, the somber mood officially set.

"She was always so clever and nice," Ginny said. "It makes me sick."

"Me too," Leolin grit out, breathless.

She and Draco met eyes for a split second before he looked away.

"What the hell happened to Adrian?" Grace demanded. "He was our friend in school!"

"No, he's always sorta been like this," Blaise said grimly. "Even when we were kids. He just didn't have to right muscles to flex when we were younger."

"And with backing from my father, he gets to become the villain he'd always wanted to be."

"It makes me sick," Pansy said.

"He's going to pay his crimes someday," Blaise said, eyes flicking to Leolin's for a second. "Make no mistake."

"But have many have to pay in the meantime?" Nikki said, her lip curling.

"Too many," Ginny agreed. "That's why we have to push as hard as we can."

They all nodded solemnly, and Leolin fought to remain stoic. Thinking of Joanna made her eyes burn. When she looked up, it was to time that Draco's eyes were boring into hers. For a flash, it seems as if recognition was dawning in his eyes, but when he blinked it was gone, swept away by the gag.

"Right," Tieran said. "So we have ears on the ground now. Who else, besides Jackie and these three?"

"Moira Ivers," Kelly said. "She owns The Savage Vagabond in Knockturn. She also said she'd work on Aberforth Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore's brother?" Ginny said. "It's doubtful. He was reluctant enough to help with the last war, and it was practically being fought in his back garden. I doubt he'll want to get involved this time round."

"We'll see," Harry said. "He might surprise us."

"I certainly hope he does," Grace said. "But let's not hold our breath."

"Who else?" Tieran asked.

Draco and Blaise exchanged a look.

"Sharpe's back," Blaise said. "And she'd agreed to spy on Quinn for us."

Gen pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, earning her a dark look from Ieuan, who sat across the table from her.

"Reagan Sharpe's back?" Leolin asked.

"She sends her regards," Draco said flippantly.

"Also got the feeling she hated me," Leolin said.

"She told us," Blaise admitted.

"Where is she, then?" Ginny demanded. Reagan and Ginny had always loathed each other. They were the female version of Harry and Draco's feud. "Shouldn't she be here hurling vulgar insults?"

"She said she couldn't get away from Quinn tonight," Ieuan said. "She'll be round tomorrow sometime to tell us what she's heard."

"Well let her know that we're here at her convenience," Ginny spit, folding her arms across her chest.

"C'mon Gin," Blaise said. "Please. Haven't we had enough back-biting for one weekend?"

"No I'm with you, Weasley," Forest said resolutely. "I don't think we can trust Sharpe; her parents were both death eaters, don't forget. Besides, I don't like that eyes of hers; it freaks me out."

Gen opened her mouth to agree and Draco shot her a dark look.

"Stow it," he muttered as Blaise sneered at Forest.

"Reagan lost sight in that eye at fifteen fighting her death eater mum," Blaise said, his voice dripping with derision. "Loyal enough for you, Lawrence?"

Max, who was clearly extremely annoyed with all the Hogwarts rivalry that had bubbled up, looked sternly up at those assembled.

"Who else knows this girl? Can we trust her?"

"Yes!" Ieuan said emphatically.

Max looked at Leolin.

"Lefevre?"

"I don't particularly like her," Leolin admitted. "And she can be a proper pain in the arse, but I don't see any reason she would have to betray us. Blaise is right; she almost died defying the Dark Lord at age fifteen."

"Good," Tieran said. "Then she's our first man on the inside."

Max and Felix exchanged a look but said nothing, and their gesture was allowed to pass without comment.

"Anyone else?"

"Langdon Blackburn has agreed to help us when the time is right," Leolin admitted, feeling a painful churning in her stomach.

"What, not Bentley?" Draco demanded, eyes flashing.

"Knock it off, Drake," Ginny snapped. "That was none of your business."

"Which one is Langdon again?" Felix asked. "Is he the doctor or the shark?"

"Shark?" Leolin repeated, admittedly surprised Felix had already been given the rundown on the Blackburns.

"I think he means Sam," Grace said. "We told them about his reputation in court."

"Langdon's the doctor," Harry said, his eyes warm and sympathetic as he looked at Leolin. "And I'd say he's by far the most trustworthy of the bunch."

"Well best we keep him away from Geoff, then," Pansy said. "Because he's agreed, too. He's working on something for us right now."

"Is that all?" Harry asked.

"Lee Jordan and his wife Katie are in," Nikki said. "So is his brother Lyle."

Harry nodded as they all did the tally in their minds.

"It's a decent start, anyways," Tieran said thoughtfully. "And a good transition. Let's talk about Bamberg."

"What does the World Cup matter?" Leolin demanded. "We have more important things to be worrying about, like Audige, for example."

"On the contrary," Blaise said. "This is the most important break we've had in a long time. And we'll get to him, don't worry. Trust me, by the time we get to the end of it you're going to beg us to talk about something else."

"Why is Bamberg a break?" Forest asked, sounding disdainful.

"My ex-stepfather Augustus has tightened security on International travel," Blaise explained, eying Forest somewhat coolly. "That makes it harder for all of us to reach out to our contacts outside of England for help. The cup is the perfect opportunity to do that without suspicion. We'd have access to everyone we could possibly need there."

"What about Borgia?" Blair said, his mistrust apparent. "She's been in and out twenty times since this whole thing started."

Blaise looked at Leolin expectantly, as if waiting for her to prove his point.

"No, Blaise is right," Leolin admitted. "Severina said it was getting hard for her to come into the UK without answers a load of questions. She's back in Italy right now."

"Max has been back and forth," Grace pointed out. "How are you doing it?"

"I'm a player," Max said. "So I have more leniency, especially this close to the cup. Even still, I've been trying to stay put as much as possible. Getting caught in one of Rookwood's probes isn't pleasant, believe me."

"But no one is going to stop us for the cup," Tieran said. "They can't. That's why it's the perfect opportunity to nail down as much foreign help as we can."

"And test the climate," Draco said. "My stepmum is German, and she comes from a very influential family. We need to know what kind of opposition we're facing here, especially from the Germans and Eastern Europeans."

"Is she loyal to your father, or could we flip her and use her influence against him?" Max said, eyes narrowed it thought.

As vapid and superficial as Max played in public, he was just as brilliant and shrewd in private.

"She loves him," Draco said flatly. "There'll be no convincing her. Besides, even if she didn't, she's bloody pregnant. She's not going to put her child on the line for anything, least of all us."

"That's admittedly distressing," Oliver said, speaking for he first time.

"Tell me you have influence in Germany as well," Nikki said, looking at Draco.

He shrugged.

"Some, though I admit my father's reform ideals are catching fire in Berlin and Vienna. I don't think we can count on much Northern support."

"What does that leave us with?" Luke said seriously.

"Yanks," Blaise said, looking at Max. "Perhaps some Canadian support."

Here everyone looked at Felix, who for once looked somewhat somber.

"I'm not Canadian," he said evenly, looking at Leolin and tilting his chin up proudly. His expression wasn't unpleasant, but he wasn't smiling, either. "I'm Québecois."

"Does it matter?" Blair said, seemingly a little irritated by this mincing of words.

"Il fait si tu veux mon aide, Français," Felix replied casually, eyes flicking between Leolin and Blair as he leaned back in his chair and smiled.

"What did he say?" Grace asked.

"I think he's just waiting for the Lefevres to get off their Parisian high horse and play nicely about Quebec," Draco said in a bored voice.

"Well?" Tieran demanded, looking annoyed at all three of them

"Considères comme un fils de France?" Blair said, eyes serious.

"Oui, tout comme tu," Felix said, eyes resolute.

"Then we're brothers," Blair said at last.

Felix gave a gracious smile.

"See?" he said to Leolin. "That wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"Ne me pousse pas, Québécois," Leolin warned.

Felix only laughed at her idle threat.

"I am already committed to this," he said, looking down the table. "But I will shore up more support where I can. I have a lot of friends in Paris, believe it or not."

"Good," Tieran said. "You two as well," he said to Leolin and Blair. "I assume you have French contacts."

"Most of mine are Italian now," Leolin said. "But I have a few left I could call."

"So do I," Blair said.

"And what if you're family is not part of the French aristocracy?" Ginny asked. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Talk to ever contact you've ever had, great or small," Harry said. "We need allies in all shapes and sizes."

"Right," Ginny said, nodding.

"You were a quidditch superstar," Oliver said, smiling. "And you're easy to look at. You wont have trouble getting support."

"Do you mind?" Blaise said, wrinkling his nose. "She's a woman, not a vase."

Oliver gave him a cool look in return. Despite being his being married, Ginny had told Leolin it had always annoyed Oliver that she'd ended up with Blaise. He said it made him feel like Blaise had corrupted their relationship with his influence, which of course he had.

"You know what I mean, Zabini," Oliver said in cool tones. "Don't be so touchy."

Nikki rolled her eyes. "If I had a knut for every petty, misguided, chauvinistic tug-of-war I'd seen since I got here, I'd be richer than Malfoy. All of you stop acting like such brutes; it's bloody annoying."

"Nikki's right," Grace said. "This would be an affront to feminism even if we weren't at war."

"And since we are it's doubly offensive," Pansy said. "Besides, aren't the two of you married?"

She said, her voice tinged with derision as she looked at Oliver and Kelly.

Kelly was gritting his teeth in annoyance, seemingly on the verge of saying something regrettable. He, much like Leolin, seemed fed-up with his feelings being called into question. She didn't blame him; it was humiliating to be accused of adultery when there wasn't any.

"Right," Harry said, reading his expression as well. "Then I think we ought to talk about Audige."

"Who is he, exactly?" Blair asked.

"He's a bokor," Leolin supplied. "You know, a witch doctor, down in New Orleans. He's sort of the big cheese down there. They call him the King of the Quarter. At least they did until he abducted him and kept him locked up at Hogwarts for sixth months."

"You did what?" Forest demanded. "Merlin's beard."

"Keep your knickers on," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "It turned out fine."

"Why did you kidnap him in the first place?" Oliver asked.

"To keep him away from Adrian Pucey," Ginny said. "He was desperate to get his hands on Audige."

"What is this, twenty questions?" Forest snapped. "Why?"

The South Carolina crew exchanged dark looks.

"Because he's hunting for a necromancer named Jean du Bones," Max said. "And Audige is the only living soul who knows where to find him."

Oliver laughed unexpectedly.

"You're joking," he said, but the solemnity stole the smile from his face. "You're serious?"

Ieaun nodded.

"If we don't get to Bones first, it doesn't matter who we recruit; we're looking at open war again."

"Well did you get anything out of Audige?" Blair said. "Anything that can help us."

"I hope so," Draco said. "Otherwise we gave him a nasty weapon for free."

Everyone looked tense, though no one seemed to have the energy to ask about the aforementioned weapon.

"Well, out with it," Forest said. "What did he say?"

"He said we were looking for Clement's keeper," Ginny said. "That he would know Bones's price."

"Who the bleeding hell is Clement?" Oliver said.

"A prince," Harry offerd. "That's all Audige would say."

"Anything else?" Felix asked keenly. He was much less annoying when he wasn't clowning around.

"He said Lefevre might know," Draco said, eying her seriously.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Me?" she demanded in a shrill voice. "Why me?!"

Harry shook his head.

"We don't know. We were hoping you might."

"I have no idea," she admitted sadly.

"That name doesn't mean anything to you?" Max asked. "Is Clement some king or something?"

"Audige said he was a prince, not a king," Vik pointed out.

"I don't know," Leolin said. "Nothing comes to mind. I mean obviously I will think about it, but it really doesn't sound familiar at all."

"Well lets just hope Pucey doesn't go after Audige in the meantime," Tieran said darkly.

"Let's hope he does," Draco said. "Audige has van Nydenael slaver's chains now. He might just take care of Adrian for us."

"Dare I even ask about that?" Blair said.

"Best not to," Tieran replied.

Leolin was only half listening. Clement. Clement. Clement. Did that name mean anything to her? If it did, the connection was buried fairly far down in her memory bank. She made a note to do a little digging that evening. That was, after she talked to Chaisson.

"Right," Harry said. "If we can't crack the riddle then maybe we should be done for the day. We'll have more to discuss tomorrow when Sharpe and the others get here."

Everyone nodded and murmured in agreement.

"So what time are songs around the campfire?" Leolin asked Ginny, who rolled her eyes.

"Oh ha bloody ha. Besides, shouldn't you be talking to Felix?"

Leolin bit her cheek.

"He annoys me," she said.

"Or does it annoy you that you sort of enjoy him?" Ginny said, nudging Leolin.

"Don't push it," Leolin snarled, her eyes on Draco again. "He's not my type."

Ginny followed Leolin's gaze before indicating she look at Kelly at as well.

"You don't have a type, and even if you did, this isn't about that. Now go over there."

Leolin looked at Draco again, whose arm was around Gen. He bent to kiss her ear and Leolin's mind was made up.

"Felix," she called. "Can I have a word?"

He turned and smiled, small dimples forming in his cheeks as he crossed his arms. Leolin watched Draco look casually over his shoulder at them and she forced herself not to bite her lip. At least Gen had gone along; as far as Leolin was concerned, three was always a crowd when it came to Draco.

"What can I do for you, bichette?" Felix said, settling comfortably on the table. "If you've come to ask me to a romantic dinner, I accept."

"You can keep your romance," Leolin said, coming closer. "But there is something I'd like to talk to you about in private, if you're willing."

Leolin told herself not to look at Draco and escalate things, but in the end she couldn't quite help it. In the muted lamplight, his eyes were as bright as Felix's were dark.

"I'm intrigued," Felix said, making a show of looking between Leolin and Draco before dragging his gaze back to her. "Though I'm going to have to insist you make it worth my while."

He smiled and she didn't return the gesture, painfully aware they had Draco's full attention now as well. She stepped forward, smiled, and slapped him in the face. It wasn't a particularly hard slap and his cheek wasn't red, but he cried out in surprise.

"Ouch!" He cried, frowning for the first time. "What was that for?"

She smiled again blithely.

"That's how I deal with sexual innuendos. What to try your luck a second time?"

"I only meant you can bring the wine," he said, scowling a little. "Merlin!"

"Good," she said cheerfully. "Then you and I won't have any problems! See you in an hour."

He frowned at Draco before slipping out the door and closing it behind him.

"You're off of Bentley already?" Draco asked when they were alone. "That's a crying shame."

"You're don't know what you're talking about with either of them," Leolin said evenly. "So why don't you do us both a favour and for once, in your twenty-six years on this Earth, stay out of it."

"Should I be insulted?" Draco pressed, his pride getting the better of him. "For a girl who proclaims to love me, you sure have a lot of extraneous suitors in tow."

He'd come closer now, and she could see the stinging betrayal he felt shining in his eyes.

"Seriously, just drop it. You don't know what you've on about," Leolin repeated, meeting his gaze.

"Then why don't you set me straight?" Draco demanded, gripping her arm gently. "What are you up to, Lefevre?"

She let out a shaky exhale, her heart pounding wildly with desire. He could feel it, too, and he leaned down slightly, his lips in perfect alignment with hers.

"Would you even believe me if I told you?" Leolin said, breathless.

"Give it a go," he said softly, his voice an odd fusion of hateful and hopeful.

"I—" she began, eyes flicking to his lips. "I should go."

He relinquished his grip, expression ugly.

"You wouldn't want to keep Chaisson waiting," Draco sneered.

"No," she said softly. "I wouldn't. Goodnight, Draco."

He said nothing, and she took the opportunity to flee, not stopping until she could no longer smell his cologne or even see the light of the room. When she was alone in her room, she flopped on the bed, trying get her hammering heart under control.

She couldn't be vulnerable when she went to Felix, lest she let reveal something to him. Despite what Ginny had said about trusting him, Leolin was still hesitant. It wasn't that she was afraid he would run to Lucius—she'd decided she could at least trust him that far—but she didn't want to have to admit to anyone else what was going on. As far as she was concerned, this was between her and Draco, and she wasn't going to let anyone interfere with that.

She stripped out of her tight trousers and stepped out of her heels before changing into a legging and a soft jumper. She had no one she was trying to impress.

She quickly nipped to the kitchen to grab a bottle of Bordeaux before heading back to the meeting room. By this time the sun was setting, it's final light filtering in through the panel of windows along the south wall of the room. Leolin looked out, admiring the shimmering lake that stood not ten yards from the back door of the room. It reminded her of Hogwarts and home.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

She whipped around.

"Chaisson."

"Bonsoir," Felix said, drawing his wand and lighting the room properly. "Did you bring the wine?"

She held it up, and a warm smile bloomed on his face.

"No glasses?"

She gave a flourish of her wand, and two appeared.

The smile grew.

"Very impressive! Did Malfoy teach you that?"

"What makes you assume it was a man who taught me?"

He smiled, holding up his hands.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he laughed. "But what you just did is rather tricky, and in the little time that I've known him, I've seen Malfoy perform some rather fantastic conjuration. It stands to reason that you learned it from him."

She uncorked the bottle.

"A fascinating theory," she said simply.

He sat on the table, his eyes jovial.

"You're not fooling me. You know that, right?"

"Not fooling you how?" she asked, pouring a glass and extending it to him.

He ignored her question by accepting the proffering glass.

"You're not going to decant it first?" he asked, eyes twinkling.

"It's a young Bordeaux," she replied evenly. "It doesn't need decanting. How am I not fooling you?"

Felix took a sip.

"That's lovely."

"Not fooling you how, Chaisson?" she growled

"I know you and Malfoy were engaged."

She bubbled her lips.

"That's hardly a secret. And besides, what possible purpose would I have for hiding that from you?"

"Maybe you're in love with me, and you're worried Draco will stand in our way."

She shook her head and took a sip, forcing herself not to smile. She had to admit that Chaisson had an inexhaustible good humour that made him harder to dislike.

"I assure you that I have less than zero interest in pursuing anything either romantic or sexual with you."

He shrugged to indicate he didn't agree.

"Okay," he conceded. "We'll see."

She rolled her eyes.

"Not even if your wildest fantasies, drageur."

He only laughed, dark eyes sparkling like obsidean stones.

"So, bichette," he said. "What is it I can help you with?"

Leolin nodded, steeling her courage. She hadn't anticipated being this nervous.

"Right," she said, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "Before we start, I just want to tell you that if you hit on me even one time, I will allow Xavier Borgia to put cantarella in your wine—which he's already been threatening to do anyways—and you will ingest it and you will die. Tu me comprends?"

"Oui," he said, smile still warm. "I understand. But you don't have to threaten me, bichette."

"Don't I, renard?" she replied.

"Non," he said pleasantly, un-phased by her vitriol. "You just have to ask nicely."

"Fine," she said. "Please treat me like a person and not a pair of legs, at least for the next hour."

"As her highness commands," he said, giving a genteel bow. "But I'm setting a timer."

She gave a resigned laugh.

"Sadly, that's all I think that's all I can ask from you."

"It is," he said, eyes dancing merrily across her face. "Now, what is this about?"

"What do you know about physical gags?"

He shrugged, setting his wine down and hopping onto the table to sit.

"Everything. What do you want to know?"

"How do you break one?"

He considered her.

"Are you in some sort of trouble, bichette?" he asked, his voice teetering on serious for the first time.

"What?" she demanded too quickly. "Not at all."

"And yet you want to know about gags," he said, eyes dancing across her face. "That is something of a serious business."

"I—" she began, but she snapped her mouth shut when she realised she didn't know how to say it.

He raised his eyebrows expectantly. He was far smarter and far less oily than he seemed.

"You?" he supplied.

"I was in a rather unsavory profession in Italy," she said, allowing him to read her face and see the truth. "I have some—tangles left over that I'd like to sort out before this all really goes to Hell."

"So you want me to help you break this gag, am I right?"

"No," she said hastily. "I can do that myself. I just need some—guidance."

"My," he said, taking another sip of wine. "But you are independent."

"An independent woman," she sniped. "Novel, I know."

He laughed.

"No need for those claws," he said. "I only mean that this is a tricky business."

"And I'm a very private person," Leolin said simply. "I'm afraid this is how things are going to be."

Felix raised his eyebrows.

"Very well, then. Shall we begin?"

Over the next hour and a half, Felix explained the intricacies of a gag and the best way to break them.

He told her that the simplest way was to conjure the words of the document into physical form—most often a chain—then break the object, thereby interrupting the power of the words in the contract. This required knowing the precise wording of the contract—which Leolin already knew wouldn't be an issue in her case—as well as two wickedly difficult charms: the first to bring the words into physical form, and second the break the object in a way that severed their binding nature.

He had her practice with the word banana, writing it down and performing several charms before urging her to bring the banana into three-dimensional being. In the hour she'd spent trying, she only managed it twice.

"Bollocks," she cried. "This is so hard."

She looked up at him, and he smiled with encouragement. She had to admit that as much as she didn't want to like him, it was rather impossible. He was dedicated and patient with her, and he was damn good and what he did. Watching him work felt like a glimpse into who he really was, and Leolin felt she couldn't help but like that person. Besides, until his tutelage, Draco didn't feel quite so far away.

"Keep trying," he urged. "You're picking it up very quickly."

"But it's only the word banana," she said. "How am I going to do a whole contract?"

"Bit by bit," he said, taking a sip of wine.

She nodded.

"You're a good teacher, Felix," she said, and he smirked.

"I am," he agreed, the mischief in his eyes growing. "Now you should let me teach your something less parochial and more fun."

She rolled her eyes.

"You promised not to hit on me," she pointed out.

"Oui, for an hour," he said, raising his eyebrows. "It's been almost two. Let's take a break and skinny dip in the lake."

"Don't be predictable," she warned, setting down her wand and sitting next to him on the table."

"I'm anything but," he said blithely. "I assure you."

She considered this a moment before looking at him earnestly.

"Can I ask you a question?" Leolin said at last.

"Of course, bichette," he said, eyes flashing. "Anything."

"Who broke your heart and made you so gross?"

He laughed, clearly a bit disarmed by her question.

"Gross?" he said, laughing again. "You think I'm—gross?"

"Look, I know you know that you're very handsome—"

He gave a gorgeous smirk.

"Stop, you're embarrassing me."

She ignored his interruption and continued.

"—And I think you're clever and capable and perhaps even marginally kind. However, you still insist on being a slimy little man-slag, so obviously you have some deep-seated insecurities. Hence, my question: who broke your heart and made you this way?"

"Wow," he sad, his smile a touch less easy. "That was penetrative."

"My dad's owns a private practice," she explained calmly. "I know all the psycho-babble."

He laughed, though he seemed less comfortable than he had been before.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but there's no story," he said, still smiling. "I suppose I'm just genuinely—gross."

"You're a shite liar, did you know?" Leolin said, studying him intently. "Max said you were the skinny, poor, foreign kid in school. That doesn't sound particularly easy, especially as a place as posh as Golden Gate."

"I'm not ashamed of growing up poor," Felix said resolutely. "My parents were Muggles, and they worked their fingers to the bone to send us to school in the States; I never took their sacrifice for granted."

"So you were a good student?"

"Very," he said. "It didn't really come easy to me, but I promised myself I would be the very best I could for them."

"I want you to be honest," she said, smiling. "Were you in the gobstones club?"

"I wasn't that much of a geek," he defended. "It was more like—" he paused, clearly not eager to relive the experience. "Je ne sais pais—I was invisible."

Leolin nodded sympathetically.

"Non," he laughed. "Don't condescendingly nod as if you understand what's that's like. I know your type. You probably had friends from day one, and a boyfriend the day your mamun would let you. How old were you when you started dating Malfoy? Fifteen? Sixteen?"

She flushed.

"That's what I thought," he said softly.

"You didn't?" she asked. "Have friends, I mean. Or boyfriends, I'm not bothered."

He only smiled a little, making hers fade.

"You didn't have friends?" she demanded.

She'd made friends with Ginny on the Hogwarts Express, even before they'd been sorted.

"It wasn't that bad," Felix said, visibly uncomfortable now. Much of the bravado had bled from his posture, and he seemed younger now, almost as if he was eleven or twelve again. "I wasn't really bullied or anything. Mostly I just kept to myself."

"What changed?" she asked.

"Brank," Felix said simply. "Don't ever tell him I told you this, but when we were in our third year of school he was failing potions and secretly asked me to tutor him. We were fast friends after that."

"But wasn't Max monstrously popular?" Leolin asked.

Felix laughed.

"Of course," he said. "And from that point on I was just his dweeby little best friend. I always helped him out of the scrapes he got into, and he kept the older boys from stuffing me in a broom closet."

Suddenly, something hit Leolin.

"Wait," she said. "They didn't call you Ren because you were slick with the girls?"

He laughed, too.

"They called me that as a joke because I was horrible with girls. Seriously, I was like the plague; no girl wanted to come within a hundred feet of me."

"You don't know that," she said.

"Oh yes, I do," he said, laughing a little. "Max was always trying to trick girls into going out with me. It never worked. I always went to parties and things pathetically alone."

"So when did you stop being—" she paused. "—Dweeby?" She didn't know that word. "You had to grow into—all this sometime."

Felix flashed a dazzling grin.

"University," he said, adjusting his tie. "I went back to Québec and worked for a year to help my parents before going to school in Paris."

She raised her eyebrows.

"Does that surprise you?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted.

"I know it's hard you for to imagine someone as lowborn and pedestrian as me in you're beloved Paris, but it's true."

"It certainly explains the chip on your shoulder," Leolin said.

Felix laughed

"So, Paris," she prompted, and he nodded.

"Yes, Paris. I moved there at nineteen and lived there for four years."

"So, what? You moved there and suddenly you were a model? Paris has really been holding out on me in the miracles department."

Felix laughed.

"No," he said. "But no one knew me there. I could be who I wanted to be instead of who I'd always been, and that really helped. And yeah," he smirked "By the time I was 19 or so, I wasn't so gangly or pimply anymore. That helped, too. I'd never had nice clothes or cool things growing up, so when I got out of school and started making some money, I styled myself as the man I'd always wanted to be. Now, as you can see, I'm impeccably well-dressed and gorgeous, and to this day I've never met a woman I couldn't convince to sleep with me."

He raised his eyebrows at her, and she curled her lip in disgust.

"Gross."

He bit his lip suggestively and she punched him in the arm.

"Ow!" he said, rubbing the spot. "That hurt!"

"Have you ever been in a committed relationship?" she demanded.

His cocky smile grew.

"Never."

"Why the hell not?"

"You have to understand," Felix said. "I was like a starving man when I got to university, and by the time I was 21 there was a buffet of easy women who wanted to sleep with me. I wasn't going to waste time eating one thing. I had to try everything. Still do, in fact."

"Funny you should choose that metaphor, considering the food at a buffet may be cheap and plentiful, but it's rarely good, and more times then not you leave a buffet feeling disgusting and guilty."

"Well said, bichette," Felix said appreciatively.

"You should try meeting a woman of substance sometime. You'd be amazed."

"Maybe I've already met one," he said, dark eyes glittering.

She didn't like the look he was giving her.

"Oh please," she said, hopping off the table and wandering a ways away. "Spare me."

"Am I so unworthy of you, Lefevre?"

"You don't know me," she countered.

"I know you're beautiful," he said. "And funny, and if that banana in your hand is any indication, wickedly smart."

"That's surface detail," Leolin said. "That's not who I am."

"Then let me in so I can know you better," Felix said casually. "And if we happen to have sex on the way, so be it."

"Trust me," Leolin said firmly, fighting not to curl her lip at his last comment. "You don't want to step into the ring. It's overcrowded and frankly rather hostile."

"I think I can hold my own," he said saucily.

"You know why you think you're attracted to me?" she asked.

"Because you have a twenty-four inch waist and a thirty-two inch bust?"

She slapped him and he groaned but said nothing in his defense.

"First of all," she snapped, putting an accusatory finger in his face. "Don't ever talk about me like that again. Second, it's because I don't want to sleep with you and yet I still like you. You don't have feelings for me, Felix. You're attracted to knowing that someone sees you for who you really are. Particularly a woman."

"More of your psycho-babble?" he queried, still rubbing his cheek.

"The truth," she replied. "I think deep, deep, deep down below that slimy, chauvinistic veneer, you're actually a decent person. I like that person. In fact, I would like you more if you were that person more often."

"You're making me blush," he said, his voice rich and smooth as his eyes glittered.

She rolled her eyes.

"If I were you, I would start putting some of that to good use and stop slagging around. You're the only that told me you can never have enough friends. Why don't you try befriending a few women instead of treating them like objects. You'd be amazed at what good company we are."

"I could put it to good use right now, if you'd let me," he offered, and she rolled her eyes again.

"C'mon Lefevre, I'm very attentive. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

"Gross," she said emphatically.

"If you don't believe me," he laughed. "Ask Genevieve. She knows."

"You've slept with Gen?" Leolin asked, curling her lip.

He looked triumphant.

"Many times. Want to know how she was?"

"Ugh," Leolin said, shaking her head in disgust. "And just when I was beginning to think you weren't a total creep."

"You aren't going to change me in one day, bichette."

"No that's the point," Leolin said, giving him a candid look. "I am never going to change you. This is all something you have to come to terms with on your own. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll have a strong, committed woman by your side to help you."

Felix gave a cat-like smile.

"Peut-être."

"Right, I think I've given enough unsolicited advice for today," she said, and he grinned. "See you tomorrow."

She turned towards the door, and he called out to her retreating back.

"Just out of curiosity," he said, coming towards her. "Who are the heavyweights in the ring?"

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"You said I didn't want to step in the ring. Why? Who's in there already?"

"I don't honestly see how that's any of your business," she said frankly.

He shrugged, keen gaze indicating he felt it was. She sensed he was looking to gain back a little of the ground she'd stolen from him with her candor. The real Felix had slunk back into the shadow of his caddish counterpart, and when she looked at him, she could see le renard peering eagerly back.

"Don't make me regret asking for her help," she warned.

He ignored her.

"Malfoy, obviously," Felix surmised, ticking off with his fingers. "He can barely keep his eyes off you, even when Gen's around. Besides, I hear your love story is one for the ages. I'm sure Malfoy hasn't forgotten that. Not to mention Atlanta."

"Draco Malfoy is a bully and a cad," she said, trying desperately to cover the truth.

Now that the penetrative gaze had shifted to her, she was admittedly less comfortable.

"And yet," Felix said, watching her closely.

She said nothing to this, only sneered a little.

"Then there's Kelly Troy, of course," Felix continued.

"Who is happily married, " Leolin pointed out.

Felix soldiered on as if he hadn't heard her.

"I admit I really don't see what you like about him. He's no Draco Malfoy."

"Don't talk about Kelly like you know him," she said, getting agitated. "He's three times the man any of the rest of you could ever hope to be."

Felix was still pushing, and his eyes glittered from the thrill of the hunt.

"I'm still confident I could take him," he said smugly, though his tone was still jovial and light, almost as if they were discussing the weather. "Though I do admit that I might have greatly underestimated your affection for him."

"Stop talking about my love life like you're betting at the tracks," she sneered. "It's annoying and despicable."

"It's really all comes back to Malfoy, though, non?" he said. "He's the man to beat. Always has been, seems like."

The irony of what Leolin prepared to say next wasn't lost on her. After all, she'd asked Felix here to help her with the gag, even if he didn't know it. Still, she'd always been impetuous when backed into a corner.

"There is nothing between Draco and I anymore," she said. "I wouldn't have him back even if I could."

He answered this by taking a casual step forward, gripping her cheeks firmly, and kissing her. His lips weren't on her for more than half a second before she pulled away and slapped his as hard as she could across the face.

"What the fuck was that?" she demanded, seething.

For his part, Felix only laughed, though his cheek was flaming an angry red.

"I knew it!" he said somewhat triumphantly, smiling at her. "I knew you were still in love with him."

She slapped him again, and this time he did hiss in pain.

"Why did you have to hit me again?" he demanded.

"You think I hit you the first time because I'm in love with Draco?" she said hotly.

"Didn't you?" he asked.

She raised her hand a third time, and he shirked away from her stinging touch.

"Okay! I'm sorry!" he said, still cradling his cheek. "Why did you do it, then?"

"I'm not property," she hissed angrily, her years of abuse bubbling up and fueling her fury. "None of you can claim ownership over me. Not you, Draco, Kelly, or anyone else. When I told you I wasn't interested in your tawdry, pathetic physical affection, I meant it. I'm not interested, and that's all that you need to know. Whether or not I still have feelings for Draco is completely irrelevant."

She turned her back, but thinking better of it, she whirled around for good measure.

"And don't ever presume to touch me without my permission again," she sneered. "If I want you to kiss me, you'll bloody well know it. Until then, go prey on someone else."

"Lefevre," he said, sounding repentant. "I'm sorry. That was impolite of me. Please come back. I'm sorry!" he repeated, sounding almost sad now. "You don't have to go."

"You can shove that apology right up your arse," she snarled, heaving. "And stay out of my fucking way from now on."

"Wait!" he cried, following after her. "I'm sorry, okay? You're right? I've never had a female friend before!"

He caught up and scurried in front of her.

"But I like you, Lefevre," he said earnestly.

She rolled her eyes, but he edged in front of her again.

"I don't mean like that. And I'm sorry I kissed you, that was unkind. But I mean...can we start over? Be friends, maybe?"

"Thanks but no thanks," she snapped.

"Don't you want my help?" he asked hopefully.

"Not if it entails being your fucking friend," she snarled.

"What can I say?" he said. "What can I give you? Herpo's vessel? The Nile? The Keys of Saint Peter?"

She whirled around, something suddenly clicking in her mind.

"What did you say?"

"You know," he said. "The keys to the muggle church. Saint Peter was the rock."

"A prince!" she said, nodded hurriedly. "He was a prince!"

"What?" he said, confused. "No, he was a fisherman."

"A prince of the church," she said. "The first pope!"

"I mean I gues—"

She grabbed him by the collar.

"C'mon," she said, dragging him to her room. "Let's go."

"Where are we going?" he asked as she rummaged through her things, drawing out two passports, two vials of hair, and what he was now coming to assume was a bottle of PolyJuice.

"To Rome," she said, slipping out of her leggings. "Turn around."

This time he did as he as told without complaint.

"Why?" he asked, turning to find her dressed in a revealing peacock blue dress and dangerous-looking stilettos. She shrugged into an expensive trench coat before adjust her décolletage.

"I know who Clement is," she said, pushing the passport to his chest.

"What's this?" he asked, eying the Italian crest on the front of the folio. He flipped it open to find himself staring face to face with a fierce-looking man, who dark eyes flashed unkindly. He read the name beside the picture as the man glared and bore his teeth menacingly at Felix. Xavier Borgia.

"Is this your friends Severina's husband?" he asked, feeling a little afraid. "What are we doing?"

"I'll explain later," she said impatiently. "For now just take this."

She thrust a polyjuice at him that smelled strong of Annis. He drank, it gagged, and began to change. In truth, he was scared to look into the mirror and face Xavier Borgia again. But this time Leolin was the impossibly beautiful Severina.

She raised her eyebrows.

"It's going to take more than this to fool the border patrol," she said in reference to the PolyJuice. "Hope you're ready to become one of the most feared men in Europe."

He gave a gulp.

"Lead the way."