Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers

A/N: There will be some French in this chapter, but I used google translate so it's probably wrong (at least grammar wise.) I apologise in advance.

Anyway read on and hopefully enjoy

Chapter 35

Ky's POV

I absentmindedly ran my hand through the burnt orange fur which actually had a pungent burnt smell clinging to it as if to reiterate his colouring, he reclined in my lap quietly and Mi would have fainted if she was witness to the scene.

We had a...conflicting relationship to say the least. He didn't like the fact that I stole his owners attention more often than he thought permissible, and I didn't like that he was constantly eating my Oreos which I had stashed in my trunk... and when I say eating I mean coating it with saliva for a few seconds before coughing it up on my pillow with what I told Mi was a smug look on his squashed face to which she insisted I was imagining because how can a cat be vindictive...I even doubted if this little monster was even a cat.

I smirked as he purred appreciatively when I hit the right spot behind his ears, I guess it did feel somewhat nice to wake up with him as a pillow when mine found its way halfway across the room during a particularly restless night. And he did piss Bobby off quite a bit, she hated orange and she had a whole different category of insults for what she felt on burnt orange... especially when it found its way into her soap somehow...

He flicked his tail haughtily onto my wrist when I stopped petting him and I had the urge to toss him to the floor, then I remembered the way he came bounding into our room hours ago, fur on end and claws blazing...

I turned away from the familiar tickling of fur... Crookshanks that evil conniving little thing loved messing with my sleep, especially when I was sharing a bed with Mi, the jealous he-devil.

I winced when I felt a slash at my arm, he never scratched me before! The yelp from next to me made me realise that he had done the same to Mi and I was about to let all hell loose to the fur ball when I heard a resounding clash downstairs and drunken laughter,

"Fucking hell Marcus, they're muggles! Not deaf!"

Before I could even turn to Mi with a quizzical look, I felt long fingers wrap around my right elbow and before my eyes could even adjust to the darkness of Mi's bedroom with a tumultuous turn of my a stomach and a whistling in my ears I staggered on my feet as my eyes were assaulted with bright light.

Before I could even right myself the blonde hair disappeared with a click and my mouth hung open, completely dumbstruck.

I looked into the chocolate eyes of my best friend as they widened in shock and she muttered incoherently as she flickered her eyes this way and that, taking in our new surroundings which you could instantly recognised as a hotel suite with its impersonal yet perfectly chosen decor...what?

There was another click and I stepped back in shock as Mi gasped, Uncle John and Aunt Jean were ashen face, Aunt Jean mumbling just as incoherently as her daughter but it lasted all but a second before they both fell forward, floating eerily in the air as they fell onto the bed... the contents that was in uncle John's hand spilling to the floor and cracking as the glass framed pictures hit the cold tiles. I stared at Mi's Hogwarts acceptance letter which had been framed in her room with a glamour spell to hide it from unwanted eyes, the familiar penmanship of Minnie's distracting me long enough to not seize up from complete shock and confusion.

I turned, flabbergasted and heart finally able to react... Vez stood in the middle of the room... what the fuck...

The sound of footsteps snapped me out of my reverie and I jumped to my feet, Crookshanks glowered up at me as he fell to the floor, a look that said I'm telling mum as he flounced away. Without the feline to distract me and the obvious fact that the night echoed in silence and I indeed heard wrong, I fidgeted with my neck, only to find it bare and my heart clenched at the thought...

"Take this."

Her aquamarine eyes shone as she stared at the locket hanging in my hand, "I couldn't Ky-"

"Take it, it would make me sleep loads better."

Her pink lips quirked slightly and she took it hesitantly, a satisfied smirk on her lips due to both my actions and words.

That was well over a year ago, the day she was inducted into the Order...

Feeling like an idiot for groping my bare neck I turned the action into a scratching behind my ear as the dark blue eyed occupant of the seat next to me gave me a quizzical look that pronounced her fine features all that more... Fleur and I had engaged in minimal contact since our introduction in my forth year, and since my holidays at the Burrow were nothing more than a few days in the Summer I didn't really know the eldest of the Weasley broods fiancé, except the exuberantly displeasing way that Ginny described her.

She pushed a few wisps of her silvery blonde hair behind her ears as I begun picking at my birthmark on my knee, with no Crookshanks to distract me, my nervous tendencies were on overdrive.

There was the sound of footsteps, I glanced to the lady at my side to ensure these were indeed real but her bounding to the door answered that question quite simply.

The large doors that guarded the Headmasters office opened slowly and I sighed in disappointment at the sole occupant framed beneath it...

Vez healed Draco's hand without question as I avoid his silver eyes... he ran into a fire...for me...Draco...Malfoy... oh fuck...

"How... Flint?" The question wasn't directed to me, Draco was steadfastly staring at Vez who frowned at being addressed, and didn't answer his questions. He glanced away at the hand he was healing and at Draco's left hand instead and then at me with deep disappointment.

I didn't process that thought as just then Mi came bounding out of the house...or what was left of the house... Teddy hot on her heels.

I gasped calling for Vez as I rushed forward, Teddy's hazel eyes bright in confusion but all I could see was the deep scarlet that was spreading along his abdomen coupled with the awkward set of his shoulders...

He didn't stay under Vez's care for long; rushing after Mi and I hesitated...I didn't want to look at Draco... Draco was not the type to run into blazing fires for anybody...least of all me... I was meant to be a distraction... a part time nuisance...

Or maybe he could tell that the fire was dying out at the time, Vez had used the counter curse for the fiendfyre and at the time was just destroying all the ashwinder eggs as it had self combustive properties... yeah... he probably was just kneeling on the floor out of shock... I mean it isn't everyday you see a friend dead... I mean...

I closed my eyes...there was no point in denying it... I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold ravaging my skin as the thought made me shiver. Yes, Draco Malfoy was attracted to me, I had no qualms with that, I even returned that attraction... but feelings...I shivered again, with the slightest repulsion in the motion... it was one thing to kiss someone else... but to like someone other than Harry... to even consider loving them...

Could I love him?

Did he love me?

"Theo?" I could feel him walk closer and I shivered when his elbow brushed mine, "We have to leave."

Teddy's eyes darkened at whatever expression Draco sported and a look of acceptance fell upon his features.

"Thank you." Mi's voice was embittered by strength resonating from the boy at her side. Silver eyes glanced at me and my heart beat that much faster until the silver left just as quickly, walking towards Mi.

"Here." He pulled out a small glistening object which he tapped with his wand. "I guess it found its way back to the family faster than your mother expected."

She took the ornament, the black dragon with wide brown eyes, the small trinket that survived. "Thank you."

He rolled his eyes, "You say thank you one more time Granger and I might die of surprise."

"Thank you." She chuckled and he glared back. Vez moved forward to apparate the boys away. Silver eyes sought mines for a moment and I saw my own confusion in them, but with a blink it was gone and I visibly relaxed.

With a second click that was barely heard over the roaring wind Vez returned, "Kingsley and some other Ministry guys will be here soon to check out the scene and claim the bodies, I sent word in advance saying that you girls and the Grangers are safe and he said he will try and do something about the illegal apparition, we'd rather not have too much questioning into the matter, we hadn't received official permission for the wards and well... the bodies up there are well connected so less details the-"

He stopped talking and glanced to his left as I could visibly see his ears prick, he stared intently into the apparent darkness as if an avid listener in a detailed conversation, my impatience flared back to its normal height and I stepped forward,

"Vez-"

"Hermione I would like to escort you back to your parents, they will be waking soon. Ky, I think it's wise you keep the cat. The Corinthia has a strict no pet policy."

"Aren't I going to the hotel as well?" I questioned as Mi frowned as Crookshanks jumped into her arms as if understanding what Vez said and getting a head start on being difficult.

His amber eyes dulled and my heart clenched...that never was a good sign... "No, we have to go to Hogwarts."

"Monsier Sabre." Fleur hurried to the door, curtsying and straightening up in front of Vez all in one motion, "l'avez-vous trouvé? Est-elle sans danger? Je savais que j'aurais dû allé avec elle ! Oh Mon dieu !"

" S'il vous plaît calmer Mademoiselle Delacour. Asseyez-vous. Please. " Vez's eyes found mine as he broke back into English, Fleur didn't comply with his insistence to sit down and relax, still muttering in her mother tongue that she should never have left her and imploring if they had found her ? If she was safe?

He managed to sit her down but it did nothing to stem the flow of French… he glanced away from her and looked at me, worry deep in his eyes in reaction to whatever was on my face... she wasn't here. He went for her... but she wasn't here... Vez never came back empty handed... he never failed at anything...

A heaviness fell on my shoulder and my heart slowed down a bit as Fawkes nipped at my cheek, Vez was muttering to Fleur in French, placating words that I picked out here and there, his amber eyes glancing at me now and again...

If he hadn't reached us in time... who knows what would have happened. Mi and I were strong but Vez said they was trace of at least ten wizards... we would never have fought them off and protected aunt Jean and Uncle John... but Linus would never leave Nessie unguarded, unprotected... she would have had back up of some sort... the New York apartment was well warded... but then again so was Mi's house...

"Ky." He pulled my hand away from scratching at my neck, a nervous habit I had picked up from Harry, "You need to calm down."

I didn't comment, I wasn't crying at least, that's a good sign.

"Ky, your magic is raging, the glass in this room is trembling... get yourself together. Have you taken your tonic today?"

I nodded, I took my tonic every day, the last thing I wanted were visions, but I understood his concern, I did get angsty even if I was a minute late with the tonic. I couldn't process the thoughts that were fighting its way to the forefront of my mind so I pushed it away.

"I'm sorry." His gold orbs held no confusion as he knew exactly what I was apologising for. It had been almost four months since I last saw Vez... the last time I saw him he was the attack on Brockdale Bridge were I...commanded him. Where I forced him to do something he didn't want to do just by the mere words that left my mouth slung together in an order that held strength of binding magic. I promised myself I would never do that to him... I was no better than Karetnikov...

He shook his head, "It's not your place to be sorry."

A spike of anger shot though me, I hated it when he spoke like that, as if reminding us both that our relationship was of servant and master.

"Vez, I am constantly indebted to you. You've saved my life more times than I can even recall." I held up my hand as he opened his mouth, "Don't say it's your job." I didn't want to be his job... he shouldn't have to drop everything and come to my rescue... I bit my lip. I had an inkling of where he was... when we dropped Mi off at the Corinthia he had handed her an access card for the room, he pulled out two... one that looked very familiar... it was the access card to our New York apartment...

Linus would never let Nessie be in New York alone, and there was only one person he trusted enough to guard the women in his life... Vez left her for me... she was missing because of me...

"Ky." He stepped forward, "There is no time to feel sorry. To feel guilty. This is war, and we all knew what we were getting into, you need to learn as well. People will die." He said with a steady timbre as if he was announcing the weather, "But never in vain if you are fighting for something just and right. And... I do not believe Agnes dead, she is much too valuable alive. And I know your brother would enter seven hells and more to get her back, and I will be right by his side. Take comfort in the fact that he and I have yet to fail you. Cease your trembling, and chin up."

"He's right." We both turned to the door, Len stood there, his face pink from the cold and his hair, already at an unruly length, sticking up at untidy heights. Bill walked out from behind him and rushed to his fiancé. I waited with baited breath but it was just the two of them.

"We looked all over Wrongfoot Mall." I heard of the place, it was the American equivalent of Knockturn Alley. "We thought they might have to hideout there because Linus and I apparated over once we felt the ward break and they might not have had the time to arrange an illegal portkey from there. Linus and Silvaine are scouting out some deserted factories in the surrounding area and Baron and Selina are heading to some known magical residences in the dodgier part of the city."

Len came over and pulled me into a hug, if I was in better senses I would have been relieved at the way he spoke to Vez, the two did not leave on good terms when they last saw each other from what I heard. He inspected my face and my body, smiling in relief that I was unhurt and he looked gratefully at Vez who nodded at him.

"Can Remus manage alone?"

Len sighed in guilt, "Tonks is covering for Linus and I. It was supposed to be his turn to take a little break but then with all this..."

"I haven't seen him in ages." Another flicker of worry went through me and I swallowed, Remus was all Harry had left and because Linus and Len kept coming to my rescue, Remus never got to leave their mission. Remus never got to see Harry.

"He's OK. Well physically. Sirius' death affected him more than I think he lets anybody know. He isn't like his old self except when...well except at certain times. He has been meaning to see Harry for Christmas, what with the fact that we can receive no letters where we are he hasn't been in contact with him but well... something always came up."

No, I always came up, me with my freaking falling from bridges and burning houses. I was like a curse.

"Hey, don't worry too much Principessa. Remus wants to be in the thick of things, he feels guilty for Kat's entry into the Order and he wouldn't entrust the Palbei matter to anybody else."

I nibbled at my nails, a nervous habit of Mi's. Godric I was such a mess I was becoming an amalgamation of nervous habits.

"You know if you do that, it'll never grow right after-"

My eyes flickered to the entryway and I bounded forward, pulling her in a tight hug before she finished her sentence. I could feel soft tickling and warmth at my back and I was too happy to be annoyed that Fleur had decided to join in on the hug. The two had indeed become close, both sharing a room at The Burrow for a while now.

I caught a glimpse of Linus standing behind Nessie, a strained smile on his face, his midnight blue eyes holding no twinkle even though his wife was back and in one piece from what I could see of her.

I pulled back, extricating myself from the blonde bodies and my eyes fell on the third blonde in the doorway and my heart stopped. My eyes widened painfully and I clutched at my neck at the look on Silvaine's face of heartbreak, his black eyes a dark pool of emotions that overflowed unashamed, trickling down his high cheek boned face and the relief left me as quickly as it came... No... no...

Feedback as always will be appreciated

Kalina