Author's note: It hasn't even been a month! What do I think I'm doing updating already? You guys read this chapter, and I'll see if I can figure out where I put my sanity. As always, reviews of almost any kind are appreciated.

Oh! To try and head of an increasing theme in reviews: I have not seen the Netflix series. As my luck would have it, we canceled our Netflix account right before 'Wednesday' was announced. I will see it eventually, but as of right now, it's just not in the cards.

-o-o-

Chapter 29

Shifting Loyalty

-o-o-

The limbs of the whomping willow creaked ominously, as if they were eager to strike. Draco scanned the roots of the massive tree, looking for the conspicuous knot. Kneeling, he pointed at what he felt must be the hidden switch. "There." He said softly, but with a commanding tone. His pet viper slithered out from around his arm, and made its way to the base of the willow. The snake coiled itself upon the knot, and in an instant, the cold night air was filled with silence.

Draco smiled as he approached, and found his way into the hidden passage. "Good job Aegis. Come" At that command, the snake darted after its master, and the warmth of his heated robes.

As Draco walked, Aegis pondered. It had taken some time to reach this point. The first human could speak, and understood Aegis, but there were so many other different snakes. It was not a pleasant life. This human used strange noises instead of talking. It was very frustrating at first. This human was so stupid, and Aegis had to bite him often. Surprisingly, the human wouldn't die, and even more surprising, it learned. Now Aegis had trained the human to use specific noises for specific reasons. It was like speaking, but more difficult.

The underground walk to Hogsmead, the shrieking shack specifically, was long and uneventful. Draco was thankful for Harry's seemingly endless knowledge of the castle and its grounds. This would be far simpler, than trying to find an excuse to leave the school officially. Upon reaching it, the rundown shack was dusty and silent.

"Uncles? Rodolphus? Rabastan?" Draco called out softly, his wand held loose but ready. The stairs creaked, and Draco turned to watch who would descend. Pale bare feet entered his vision, and he quickly knelt, lowering his wand and his eyes.

"A small change of plans." Voldemort explained as he slowly approached Draco. "I have another mission for you. That is, if you have not already failed me."

Draco let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and stood, locking eyes with the Dark Lord. Draco felt Voldemort slip into and out of his mind as he spoke. "It was right where you said it would be my lord."

"Well done Draco." Voldemort's smile looked insincere, dead. "It seems you are becoming everything I once thought your pathetic father was."

Voldemort turned away, and moved to look out a grime covered window. "And the newlyweds? What is their answer?"

"They said no my lord." The silence that filled the room concerned Draco, but oddly, he didn't feel as if he were in danger.

After a few more moments of complete silence, Voldemort simply said, "A pity."

Not understanding why the Dark Lord remained silent, Draco broke the eerie quiet. "My Lord?"

"You have refused my mark." Voldemort's tone was even and measured. "You're reason is sound, but I fear I lack assurance that you are loyal to me."

Before Draco could respond, Voldemort continued, still staring out the window. "It has occurred to me, that I no longer have an incentive to honor my truce with mister Black. Kill them Draco. Kill them both, and you will be my most trusted servant, whether you wear my mark or not."

Draco began to open his mouth to ask why, but instantly thought better of it. "Yes my lord. Only, I need time to plan."

"Of course Draco." Voldemort said soothingly. "I am not unreasonable. You have until the school year ends."

-o-o-

Row after row of identical, perfect houses. The idyllic scenery of Privet Drive, was marred today by a crippled vagabond clumping his way down the road. Though several prying eyes watched this strange one legged man suspiciously, they soon lost site of him. When a few of the more concerned busybodies tried to call the police, they realized they couldn't quite remember why they were concerned.

Privet drive was violently shaken out of it's perceived perfection, when an explosion rang out from number four. The house was soon engulfed in flames, and thick black smoke billowed out. The fire brigade arrived as soon as could be expected, but it took hours to get the situation under control. It was determined that a gas leak led to the horrific accident. Fortunately, though the property was a complete loss. No one was home, and there were no injuries reported.

-o-o-

Mad-Eye stepped up to knock at number twelve Grimmauld Place, but stepped back when the door opened. A man sized pile of hair wearing a bowler hat swept by, squeaking animatedly.

"Do keep in touch now Morticia!" A woman called out behind her as she followed the pile of hair while carrying a smaller bundle of hair.

A second woman, carrying two suitcases stopped, and looked over Mad-Eye critically. "You must be mister Moody. If you're here to speak with miss Tonks, she's recovering in the lounge."

Finally, the butler he'd unceremoniously stunned the last time he'd been here, exited carrying an obscene amount of luggage. The servant simply groaned at him, and motioned into the home with a nod of his head.

Stepping up to the now open door, Mad-Eye found himself face to face with a pair of smiling Addamses. "I suppose I should say sorry. The name's Alastor Moody, most call me Mad-Eye."

"I should hope you are sorry mister Mad-Eye." The woman said coldly, her smile dissolving. "It's simply been ages since you assaulted our home, and not even as much as a threatening letter since."

"Now Tish," The man said patting his wife on her shoulder. "He's apologized, now we should accept it. Let's move on. My name is Gomez, this enchanting woman is my wife Morticia. Have you come to try again? Come in, come in."

"Ah, no." Mad-Eye grunted as he passed the threshold. "I've come to talk things over with Tonks. Her mum said she'd been spending a lot of time here lately."

-o-o-

Following the directions given to him, Mad-Eye made his way into the lounge. He stopped abruptly upon entering, let his wand drop into one hand, and raised his other to block his view of Tonks, while still being able to mostly see the rest of the room. She was lying on a couch, with her robes open, and little covering her modesty.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing girlie?" Mad-Eye blustered, now concerned for his protégé. Her state of undress, along with the amount of blood began raising all manor of unpleasant scenarios in his mind. "What have they done to you? Who's responsible?"

"Huh? Wha?" Tonks lifted her head to see the old wizard shielding his eye from her nudity. "Really? I'm wearing knickers Mad-Eye. Are you telling me all it takes to fluster you is a pair of tits? Put your wand away, I'm fine. This is part of my plan. I'm in a lot of pain right now though, and the cool air helps, so buck up and talk, or leave and let me rest."

He lowered his hand, but kept his wand out, and eye averted. "Isn't there a teenage boy living here?"

"Sure is." Tonks nodded, and sat up to reach for a nearby teapot with a groan. "Persephone suggested trussing him up before the procedure even started. He's in his room. I'll let him out after I feel decent enough to put my robes back on."

Tonks looked up, and stared at her mentor. "Are you seriously blushing now? Haven't you been able to see under everyone's robes for as long as you had that enchanted eye? Oh, speaking of... here. One of the favors I mentioned before."

A small object was tossed his way, which Mad-Eye instinctively froze midair with a charm. It was the eye that had been torn from his head months ago. After a few quick detection spells, and a cleansing charm, he grabbed it. He pocketed his eye patch, and popped his eye back into its socket. His eye spun around wildly for a few moments, then it settled on Tonks, while his real eye continued to look the other way.

"Looking at you with this eye is different." Mad-Eye asserted while his eye spun a few more times. "For example, I can focus on the extensive runework you've had done. I can also see the boy is hanging upside down above a bear trap."

"The bear trap was his idea." Tonks shrugged. "Anyway, you didn't come here to talk about my lack of modesty. What's going on?"

"A lot. For now, I think you and I are the only ones on the same page, so I want to go over everything with you first." Mad-Eye pulled a second wand from his robes, and set it on the table in front of Tonks. "First, Albus is dead. All things considered, I'm not so sure this needs to be public knowledge yet. I've covered things up for now."

Tonks looked at the wand, and was surprised at how little she mourned. "What happened?"

"Albus was a damned fool is what happened. He disappeared after our last failed attempt to find a horcrux. Near as I can tell, he tried to set up an ambush for Black." He grunted as he finally let himself relax enough to sit down. "He was freshly injured, never got properly treated, and likely badly underestimated Black."

Gritting her teeth, Tonks' eyes hardened. "Sounds like self defense then..."

"I'm not happy about it, but I think Albus got what he deserved." Mad-Eye admitted, noting her eyes softened at that statement. "He went over the edge, and I couldn't talk him back. The worst part of losing him though, is now we have no leads on finding the blasted horcruxes."

"For now, I don't really see what we can do about that particular problem, but I guess you also want to talk over my plan?" Tonks guessed as she began to painfully put her robes back on. "These Addams nutters are lunatics, but there's a reason and method behind their madness. I'm rolling the dice, and taking advantage of their knowledge, and my bloodline."

"The old magic you warned us about." Moody's magic eye ran over Tonks, studying each rune. "Explains why you said your plan was stupid. What, you think this will make you strong enough to waltz into the ministry, and take on every wand there?"

"Of course not." She rolled her eyes. "But I'll take every edge I can get. Part of that is, regardless of what Arthur thinks, I'm not going to just be stunning."

"What about those under the imperious? The rank and file workers? Innocent people who just happen to be in the ministry when we strike?" Moody turned his real eye to face Tonks. "Are you going to..."

"Stunned enemies can be revived and brought back into the fight." Tonks interrupted. "We can't just..."

The two aurors paused, and turned to see Morticia enter the room. "Since you're planning to assault somewhere else, I would very much appreciate if you included Puglsey. He does so regret that he missed out on all the fun last time. It's the least you could do mister Mad-Eye."

"This isn't a game lady." Mad-Eye began, then his eye swung upward as a loud thump, and the sound of a steel trap going off rang through the house. "Huh... that's... maybe we will consider it."

-o-o-

Millicent bit her lip before she stepped into the great hall. She couldn't remember the last time she was this nervous. Trying not to show anything but calm and confidence, she walked past the Slytherin table. Passing the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, she made her way to the last place anyone would expect a Slytherin to sit. "Do you mind if I sit next to you Longbottom?"

A murmur of disapproval rippled down the table. Neville looked up in surprise, noting an expensive looking necklace resting above her bosom. "Sure, I mean no, not at all. I'm assuming you want to talk to Wednesday anyway?"

"Thank you." She nodded gratefully. "And yes."

Wednesday looked up from her plate of what looked like already rotting salad. "I'll have to write to mother. She'll let Pugsley know your answer."

"So, what is your brother like? I mean, I know a little from your wedding, but now I need to know more." Millicent asked with a nervous smile, while she began to load her plate.

"You don't want to know what Wednesday thinks, Pugsley is her brother." Luna spoke up from the other side of Neville. "I can tell you all about him though. I spent most of the summer with him and Thing."

"Ah, here." Neville said awkwardly as he stood with his plate. "Why don't you sit next to Luna so you two don't have to talk around me."

-o-o-

Pavarti pursed her lips while she considered what to do. Hermione was snoring loudly. The fashion conscious witch had never wanted the responsibility of being a prefect. Yet here she was, in the position of having to reprimand someone who, until this year, was far more responsible than she ever was.

"Hermione." Pavarti said, while shaking the curly haired witch. "Were you up all night or something? You slept through morning classes. You need to get up."

Incoherent mumbling accompanied Hermione waving Pavarti away grumpily.

Frowning, Pavarti pointed her wand at her roommate. "I mean it Hermione. Get up... or... I'll drag you to Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione lifted her head. "'m tired... go 'way." Her face was drawn, and she looked quite pale.

"Hmph. Fine. Petrificus totalus." After magically immobilizing the sleepy witch, Pavarti considered literally dragging her by the hair, but figured that would be too much work. Professor McGonagall would probably yell at her too. "Mobilicorpus."

-o-o-

"Mr. Black." Professor McGonagall looked somber after pulling him out of charms class. "I'm afraid that Ms. Granger has fallen ill."

Harry looked more confused than concerned. "With what? Can't Madam Pomfrey fix her up?"

"Unfortunately, this seems to be beyond our school nurse's abilities." McGonagall motioned for Harry to follow her. "We will be sending Ms. Granger to St. Mungo's later today. Considering your history with each other, I thought you would like to see her before she leaves."

-o-o-

"It appears, in addition to whatever the core issue is, Ms. Granger has been abusing potions." Madam Pomfrey spoke softly to both Harry and Professor McGonagall. "Pepper-up is usually fairly benign, but from what I can tell, she has been modifying the recipe, and taking at least half-a-dozen every day. Do either of you have some insight?"

McGonagall was completely shocked. "No Poppy, no. I had thought any concern of Ms. Granger burning out was behind us, when she gave up her prefect badge. I can't imagine why she would do such a thing."

Harry looked pensive. "I hmm... Can I talk with her privately?"

"Certainly Mr. Black, but please for her sake you need to let me know anything you suspect." Madam Pomfrey moved aside to let him pass.

Through half-lidded eyes, Hermione groused. "Aren't you the one who's s'posed to be here, with me visiting you?"

"What kind of potions have you been taking?" Harry asked, trying to put together the puzzle in front of him.

"Been tired." Hermione yawned. "Pepper-up stopped working, so I kept making it stronger. Sorta like the magic version of amphetamines now. Still tired."

-o-o-

"Didn't you tell her about the love theory?" Wednesday asked, after Harry told her about Hermione.

Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"

Wednesday glared at her husband. "Our old magic, how love keeps it from killing us."

"Well, it's not the same thing is it?" Harry scratched his head. "I mean we have Black and Addams blood, but Hermione..."

"Has magic from my blood coursing through her." Wednesday deadpanned. "It's the same exact thing."

"Huh... Really?" Harry hadn't considered it that way, and began to feel very foolish. "Oops?"

-o-o-

Moony yawned, and scratched his muzzle against the couch leg. Half asleep, he rolled over and stretched out his forelegs. He winced, when his finger caught awkwardly on the coffee table. Finger? Scrambling to his feet, Remus shook his head. Why was he sleeping on the floor?

The sound of footsteps caught Remus' attention, and he could hear voices approaching. Needing to put a few things together for himself, before socializing with anyone, he quietly crept away.

Making his way to one of the bathrooms, Moony looked into the mirror, and saw himself wearing a collar? Shaking his head again, Remus filled the sink, and dunked his head into the cold water. He wiped the excess water off of his face, and stared into his own eyes. When was the last full moon? He shouldn't still be wearing his collar... When did he let someone put a collar on him...

-o-o-

"It's nice to see that Harry's dream to reunite his family is working so well." Morticia observed with a gentle smile, as she lead Andromeda to where the two other Black sisters waited.

"A dream that never would have had a chance without your family." Andromeda thanked the Addams woman graciously, before making her way to sit across from her sisters.

"We have a problem." Narcissa stated simply, keeping a tight reign on her emotions as she watched Morticia glide away. "Draco has written me a letter. The Dark Lord has asked him to do the impossible."

Bellatrix looked at her younger sister in confusion. "Impossible? Widdle Dwaco is a man now Cissa. What can be impossible for him now? The Dark Lord shows faith in our strength. You should feel honored that Draco has been chosen for an 'impossible' task."

Narcissa gently grasped Bellarix's hands while focusing her steady gaze into Bella's insane eyes. "Draco is to kill Harry and his wife."

Andromeda held one hand up to her heart. Narcissa's news wasn't half as disturbing as watching Bellatrix's expression shift wildly. Bella was insane, a fact that had grown more true as the years went by, and further solidified by her long stint in Azkaban. Insanity aside, Bellatrix had never been uncertain about anything.

With her eye twitching wildly, Bellatrix stood up, knocking over her chair. She hardly noticed her sisters drawing their wands. Craning her neck as she stared into nothing, she held one hand over her stomach as she struggled to understand what she was feeling. "Wh.. Why? I don't understand."

"Because he fears Harry."

The three sisters turned to look at the source of this new voice, wands raised in unison, to see Remus standing in the doorway. Looking uncomfortable and distracted.

"Harry and I talked quite a lot over the summer." Remus said while he absently rubbed his neck. "Apparently there was a prophecy that he would be the one to defeat Voldemort. Harry doesn't believe in the prophecy at all. It's my understanding, that Voldemort does."

"Draco has already made up his mind." Narcissa said, carefully watching her unhinged sister. "His loyalty lies with our family. His letter makes it clear that he considers the Dark Lord a threat to our family. Thus, we have a problem."

Bella's mind swam. Following the Dark Lord was her reason for existing. She had dedicated her power, her life, her very sanity to his cause. She began to tremble as new feelings rushed through her body. She wasn't the only one in her family to give everything for the cause... Her family... Images of those who had given their lives for the cause... What cause? Blood... Pure blood... Black blood... spilled over the years... Babies... Her babies... More lives to give for the cause... More blood to spill... Pure blood... Black blood... Black babies... Her babies... HER babies...

"No..." Bella fell to her knees with a guttural scream. "I won't let them die! I'll kill him! I'll tear the flesh from his bones!"

"You!" Bellatrix's eye's grew wide, and her nostrils flared, as she pointed at Andromeda. "Get your child, bring her here."

"You!" Pointing his time at Narcissa, her voice cracked as she stood. "Get my husband, his brother, and Asclepius."

"You!" Bella pointed at Remus, her voice growing cold, steady, and frighteningly sane. "Unless you have something else important to add, get out."

-o-o-

Tonks headed into the kitchen at Grimmauld place, led by her mother. Upon entering, she sighed and drew her wand. "Mother I don't have time for this family stuff right now."

"Oh put that thing away. We aren't here today to play with you." Bellatrix waved negligently at Tonks while she eagerly accepted a plate from Kreacher.

Tonks looked around. "We? And why are you here then? I doubt it's because you simply craved Kreacher's cooking."

"Cissy will be back soon with the others." Bella said through half a mouthful of food. "And I was craving Kreacher's cooking. It's part of being pregnant, find a wizard that's not half mongrel to mount you, and you can learn all about it."

"Yeah, I get it. Nobody wants me to be with Remus, not even him." Tonks grumbled, shoving her wand back into her robes. "Who are the others, and what is so important? I am busy."

Bellatrix swallowed, and motioned for Tonks and Adromeda to sit. "Roddy, his brother, and Asclepius."

"As for what is so important dear niece, we have found ourselves in an unfortunate situation." Narcissa explained, walking into the kitchen with the three named death eaters trailing close behind. "And before anyone gets twitchy with their wand listen!"

Surprising the Black sisters, Tonks merely leaned back, and crossed her arms. "Okay, talk. If this is important enough for me to forget I'm an auror for the time being, out with it.

"I have learned that the Dark Lord has ordered my son to murder our head of house and his wife. At the moment, Draco is safe. The Dark Lord has given him time, and he is no longer stupid enough to actually try to do something so foolish." Narcissa explained as she sat next to her sisters.

Not exactly surprised by the news, Tonks noted the Lestrange brothers' faces light up with confusion. The scarred Asclepius merely looked to Bellatrix, as if awaiting orders.

"Our family tore itself apart for the Dark Lord." Bella said through a mouthful of cake. "The Black line was all but extinct. Then comes Harry, not Dumbledore's pretty pawn Potter, Harry."

"Bella, please try to remember your manners." Narcissa shook her head in embarrassment. "Yes, Along came Harry. Who, in the span of half a year, has brought the Black family back from the brink, and set us firmly on a path to greatness."

Tonks chuckled mirthlessly. "He made me choose between Dumbledore and family, and now you've both chosen family over Voldemort. What about you not so gentlemen? Where do your loyalties lie?"

"I follow, followed the Dark Lord for his cause." Asclepius asserted. "But I will follow Mistress Bellatrix anywhere, and I owe Harry Black everything."

Rodolphus and Rabastan looked to each other, and Rabastan spoke up. "We were willing to die for the cause. More than willing to kill for it. But, Bella's right. What do we have to show for our loyalty, our hard work?"

"An eternity in Azkaban, because the Dark Lord couldn't kill a baby." Rodolphus said flatly. "I love my wife. Rab loves that psychopath. Might as well throw in our lot with the baby the Dark Lord couldn't kill."

"I knew you boys were smart." Bellatrix giggled manically, then slammed her palms on the table and stood up, her tone growing serious, and her eyes growing wild. "The Dark Lord is a living god. How do we kill a god?"

-o-o-

Bonus Scene

-o-o-

The Priest looked upon the web of chains before him. Curiosity flickered in his eyes, along the with faintest ghost of a smile in his normally passive expression. The chains dripped red with blood, and held suspended, dozens of pieces of the young human known as Jessica. A single eye, still socketed in a portion of the girl's skull opened and swiveled to meet with the priest's own gaze.

"We have taken many who were ignorant of what the box held." The Priest picked up the girls tongue, and began to sew it back into her mouth. "In that, you are not special. You opened the box, and we came. Now you have joined us on our endless exploration of the limits of experience."

"Why..." The girl moaned while the priest continued to sew. "Why doesn't the pain hurt?"

"In that, you are special, though far from unique." The Priest allowed himself to smile. "Some who have joined us take centuries to understand, some never do. Then there are those like yourself, who easily grasp the truth of experience. Pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow... These are human concepts, human limitations. You have grasped the truth, and now join us in a different sense."

Piece by piece, the Priest sewed Jessica back together. Ignoring basic anatomy, he rebuilt her body to suit hell's desires. Bones were separated, sinew reattached, muscles redistributed. When he finally finished, he stepped back to admire his newest cenobite.

"The one with whom you opened the box, is less understanding of the truth." The Priest's tone was calm and measured. "His fear of the unknown led us to take his parents as well. He doesn't understand, he only suffers. I want you to work on this... puzzle. As long as you need, this task is yours."

-o-o-

Dudley shook uncontrollably. They made him watch. The one with horrible chattering teeth peeled off his eyelids. It held him steady, and made him watch, chattering in his ear the entire time.

The fat one took his dad, took him and force fed him until rotting food burst from his distended stomach. His dad couldn't scream. His mouth was always full, overflowing.

The woman took his mum, stripped her, and did... things. Dudley couldn't bring himself to even try to comprehend. His mother's screams echoed in his mind.

They took his mum and dad away, he could still hear them, still see them echoing in his mind. Turning his head, he realized the chattering one had disappeared. He was alone. He was scared.

The echoes of his parents torture faded as a very real sound came from behind him. It sounded like something hard striking the floor, like the clatter of heels, only there was no rhythm. A shadow, vaguely spider-like, crept along the wall as the sound grew closer. He whimpered.

"I think I like you Dudley." Jessica's voice caused Dudley to whimper more, remembering her grisly death. "I noticed the way you were looking at me while we solved the puzzle together. I was thinking of letting you kiss me when we solved it. Do you want to kiss me now?"

Despite every fiber of his being screaming at him to run, Dudley felt glued to the spot, and slowly turned to face the girl he knew was dead.

Instead of legs, her exposed ribs supported her torso, like grotesque spider legs sprouting from her waist. Her too long arms seemed pieced together from both her former arms and legs. The nightmarish limbs grasped Dudley's head and drew him toward her.

Squealing incoherently, he struggled to free himself from her deceptively strong grip.

"What's wrong Dudley?" Jessica's stitched-together face pouted from where it was embedded in the center of her naked torso. "Don't you like me?"

Losing consciousness, Dudley slumped in Jessica's grip. This wouldn't do. She started dragging him behind her, while searching the labyrinth for a better place to work. She and Dudley were going to be spending a very long time together. This was going to be fun. She loved puzzles.

-o-o-

Author's note: B#