Chapter Five:
I struggle to find any truth in your lies, and now my heart stumbles upon things I don't know. My weakness I feel I must finally show.
One week later:
The code hadn't been helpful. It was a series of numbers that Astoria's mind couldn't or wouldn't understand. The numbers 06241999 meant nothing to her. Codes had always been her thing, something she was good at. She and Daphne had made up codes when they were in school; a way of communicating when the two sisters were in different houses.
Astoria wasn't put in Ravenclaw for nothing.
This code however, she didn't understand. Nothing was coming to mind on how to solve it. The torture she had gone through, whatever curses and jinxes they had used on her, they had done something to her mind. Maybe it impossible for her to think clearly. It is like having a concussion, Astoria thought. Except there would be no healers to fix it.
There would no healers to fix any of her bumps and bruises, her gashes and cuts. Her torturers were relentless, she had no day of rest. What were they hoping to gain? Any information they wanted from her they got. She had nothing else to give. Were they hoping that the Order would show up and save her? She doubted it, for all they knew she meant nothing to them.
She was just a broken girl now. Her parents murdered, her sister unable to help without risking her life. She had nothing and no one. She wouldn't be saved, she wasn't worth the effort. That realization should have hurt, but it didn't. Astoria knew it was the truth, there would be no point for anyone to risk their lives and resources to save a girl like her. She didn't want that.
#
It was late, the moon was full and Astoria sat with her back against the wall on her cot. She stared at the parchment, willing the numbers to make sense. Gods, why can't this be easy? Astoria thought, her finger slowly tracing the numbers. This should be easy.
Her finger paused its motion, her eyes widening as she was hit with a thought.
06242000
06
24
2000
It wasn't a code, it was a date.
Undisclosed Location, England:
His words haunted her for days. When we get her back, he sounded so sure and Ginny only wished she knew how he could. Godric, how was it possible for him to sound so sure? How was it fair? The war, the battle, and the aftermath had changed them all. Ginny knew that, Ginny knew that better than anyone, but how Draco managed to sound so level-headed amazed her.
He was constantly planning now, Ginny didn't think he ever slept. He was always working, always moving from one safe house to another. The plan would be put in motion in two days and never had Ginny seen Draco this nervous. He wouldn't be able to go, if anything went wrong and his cover was blown-Ginny didn't want to think about it.
They had already lost too many people.
Draco's nervous energy seemed to be affecting everyone, Neville, who would be leading the mission, had taken up the habit of constantly wringing his hands. Luna was more subdued than usual and she spent a lot of time in her room, Neville was the only person allowed to see her. Dean and Seamus seemed on edge, their wands always at the ready. Ginny didn't know what the people in the other safe houses were doing or how they were feeling, but she knew that they couldn't be calm. Or happy.
Most people didn't understand why they were risking their lives to save the Greengrass girl, but they didn't question Draco's authority. At least when he was in hearing distance.
But Draco was sure that this would work, that they would get Astoria and everything would be fine. They would be able to do this.
Ginny just hoped he was right.