Ginny sat with her elbows on the kitchen table. Her hands were clasped together and gently resting against her lips. She had looked better ever since she had been promoted to Stage Two. The color had returned to her face and her stature was more relaxed. Draco was most pleased that she had been given her wand back. The tea had been much better.

"I've been thinking about what you brought up last week, Malfoy," Ginny said. "And, I think I should do it."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked.

"Hermione's right. Things are moving too quickly. If I don't become a Death Eater, we may be too late."

"Good. I agree." Draco took another sip of tea and then set down his cup. "I'll bring it up to the proper authorities near the end of your Reformation process. You do realize this means that you will be in the presence of the Dark Lord rather frequently, correct?"

Ginny nodded."I've been much closer to him than the average person," she said.

"Yes, that's right," Draco said, "I suppose you have." Draco stirred a bit more cream into his tea. The spoon made a light tink tink tink against the cup. "Well, then," Draco started but then realized there wasn't really anything he had to say. He simply stopped the statement there.

"Yes," Ginny said, equally as awkward. At least they were no longer fighting. They drank their tea in silence and then Draco handed her another Quidditch Quarterly, took his coat, and headed for the door. Last week, Ginny had given him a message for Ron, but Draco abruptly informed her that Ron had taken himself out of the mission. Seeing her disappointment, he promised to have Hermione give Ron the message. This week Ginny gave him the same message. She wanted to let Ron know that she was fine and that she missed him.

After the meeting, Draco headed home. It was a sunny but cool Wednesday afternoon, and he had gotten the day off for his visit with Ginny, so he decided to spend it reading in the sun room. He walked up the pathway to the tall front doors of the Malfoy Manor. An albino peacock had situated itself directly in front of the main entrance with it's tail spread wide. Draco shooed it away with his foot and opened the door. As he lit up the room, he heard a scuttle of clumsy footsteps in the other room and the whisper of tiny house elf voices. He remembered back when he lived with his family, he didn't notice the house elves much at all, but now that he was alone, he could almost always hear them. When he sat himself in the sun room, one rushed in with a silver tea tray. He held the tray out to Draco. On it sat a steaming cup of Earl Grey, a plate of scones, and the current Daily Prophet. Draco snatched up the newspaper.

"I just had tea," Draco informed him. The house elf hurried out of the room again.

He had barely glanced over the front page when someone began furiously knocking at his door. He heard a shift of metal and glass as the same house elf moved his tray about to answer. Draco heard the door swing open.

"I need to speak to Mr. Malfoy immediately!" Draco recognized the voice. It was Astoria Greengrass. She was an Auror a few years younger than Draco, but she had been involved with the rebellion far longer than he had. Before there was even an organized resistance, Astoria had used her blood status to climb to the top of the Auror department. The department had done a complete one-eighty since Voldemort's control of the Ministry. Wizards once hunted by Aurors had become Aurors themselves, and their wanted list was now full of rebellion groups such as Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix. Astoria had been using her position to sabotage Auror missions and keep the department one step behind the rebels. So far, everything had gone well in that aspect, which is why the panicked tone in Astoria's voice caused Draco to leap from his seat and bolt to the entryway. She stood beside his house elf looking disheveled and out of breath.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"Draco! There's been a raid!" she said between heavy breaths. "Another branch of the department—gasp—found some of the Order!" She calmed her breath and gasped Draco's arms firmly. "Luna Lovegood has been captured."

"Lovegood? I—" Draco felt his stomach drop to his knees. "She has the map of Nagini's keep."

"How good is her Occlumency?" Astoria questioned.

"I, I don't know," Draco answered. With purpose, he moved towards the den. "I'll contact Longbottom, he'll know."

"No, no, no!" Astoria stopped him. "The Ministry has its feelers out right now. Any suspicious activity will send up a red flag. We have to figure out what to do with absolutely no contact with the Underground."

"Well, should we consider...termination?" Draco asked, hoping that was the correct term to use.

"Possibly." Astoria said without flinching. "We will as a last resort." Draco was taken aback at how easily Astoria took the consideration of killing someone. He wondered if she ever had. There had been a war and most people he knew had been involved. It was far more likely in this day and age to know people who have murdered.

Draco took a second to collect himself. Sure, Astoria had been doing this longer than he had, but he still had a leadership position for a reason, and that is exactly why she had come to him. He needed to manage this situation. "Who was involved in this raid, and who do we have that's closest to it?"

Astoria bit her lower lip in thought. "Um, I know we don't have anyone on the team that found them."

"What about those in charge of holding? Where did they take her?"

Astoria shook her head in futility. "Azakaban."

There was no way for the resistance to infiltrate Azakaban—not unless they could win over a Dementor. There were no human guards on the island whatsoever. Inmates were delivered by portkey and instructions were conveyed through a two way mirror. Visitation was completely prohibited. Anyone who was not a prisoner had no reason, or means, to be on the island at all.

"Well, do we know about the questioning? When is she to be questioned and by whom?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm certain I could find out."

"Alright, then let's make that our goal." Draco said firmly. "No matter what, we must intercept her before she is questioned. We cannot afford to lose this mission."

"I agree," Astoria said. "I'll gather any information I can about Lovegood and I'll report back as soon as I can."

"Yes, but for now, I think you should go home to calm down. If you are this shaken up at the Ministry it will cause suspicion." He scooped his arm around the small of her back and led her to the den. He noticed her eyes flicking back at his arm and a brief flush of red dance across her cheeks. He had done it on purpose. He was aware of Astoria's feelings toward him and often played off of them. He was a little ashamed that he would do so even now, but over the years he had developed a sort of reflexive charm with women. He attributed the quirk to his Slytherin roots. What tended to drive Draco was sheer ambition, and he had learned that with a touch of smugness, a dash of family wealth, and the perfect smirk, he could get almost anything he wanted.

"Trilly!" Draco called. A female house elf came lumbering into the den. She had huge, watery blue eyes and a mess of red hair that jutted out like a crown of straw.

"Trilly, will you get Miss Greengrass some Floo Powder? She's going home." Trilly gave an exaggerated nod and with a loud pop, a bag of purple powder was in her long fingers.

Draco tossed a handful into his fireplace. "You go home and rest for a while. Go back to the Ministry as soon as you feel able to behave normally under the pressure." He moved a lock of Astoria's blonde hair behind her ear and gave her a gentle smile. She was instantly red and she leaned towards his face just slightly. This is just too easy, Draco thought. Then he remembered the situation again and immediately removed his hands from her.

This seemed to pull her out of it as well, and she looked up at him with a serious and determined look. "And you need to keep your lines with the Underground completely invisible. No communication." Draco nodded and Astoria stepped backwards into the fireplace.

When she had gone, Draco turned around. "Oy!" He heard footsteps coming from all different corners of the manor. When all the movement had stopped, four house elves stood in a line in front of him all with matching little dishtowels tied around them like tunics. All of them were fidgeting in some way or another. "If anyone asks," Draco said, "Miss Greengrass came in for tea and then had to leave because she wasn't feeling well. Understand?" They all nodded. Their large heads on their tiny bodies made them look like a collection of bobble heads. "Alright, you can go." They scattered off.

Draco made his way up the tall staircase to his room. He had kept his childhood bedroom. The master bedroom remained untouched. He sat down on the edge of his bed and rubbed his eyes with his palms. He didn't really like the idea of waiting, but he had no choice at the moment. He pushed his hands into his pockets and felt the galleon Hermione had given him on his fingertips. The coin instantly became warm. He yanked it out of his pocket and read along the edge:

MUST MEET ASAP STAND BY FOR INSTRUCTIONS