Adelophis Gaunt of Fort Gaunt was proud to say that he was perfectly normal, thank you very much. He was the last person you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because he just didn't hold with such nonsense. He worked a perfectly legal ministry job and had a daughter that graduated from Beauxbatons at the top of her class last year. Every perfect thread in its place. Of course, this all applied only when you took his tyrannical cousin out of the picture, and ignored the black tattoo marring the skin of his forearm and tethered to his very soul.

A sharp burning sensation from that very mark shook Adelophis from his musings as he grimaced and reached over to pour himself another glass of firewhiskey. No, his cousin was impossible to remove from this situation and an unimaginably large thorn in his side. No one would ever accuse the Dark Lord of being a minor annoyance after all. His grimace only intensified as the firewhisky burned his throat. He despised alcohol but he had long ago learnt that dealing with his cousin's torture while sober was simply not an option.

"Father. A letter for you."

Looking up he was met with a pair of green eyes almost identical to his own, but with a few flecks of grey and almost hidden behind straight black bangs.

"Well, bring it here, Morelia. Might as well see what these bastards want."

The only people who bothered to owl him in the middle of a war were death eaters, and of course the ever persistent Ministry of Magic.

He couldn't stop himself from smiling slightly when he saw who the letter was from, but any trace of happiness soon melted away as he scanned its carefully penned contents.

"Father? Is everything alright?"

Adelophis only paled further as he finished the letter, and slowly stood from behind his desk. He gently folded up the letter, before flicking his wand at it and sending it up in flames.

"We shall be leaving tomorrow."

"Father? I don't–"

He fixed his daughter with what he intended to be a deadly stare but she could see the fear swimming in his green eyes.

Morelia bowed her head, "I shall send for Kaden and be packed for tonight if it would be better."

Adelophis only nodded and swept past her, out of his study, the letter replaying itself in his mind as he mentally prepared to leave Britain behind.

Dear friend,

I fear the end of the world is upon us. He intends for it all to end tomorrow but somehow I know that he will be bested yet again, perhaps this time for good. I intend to denounce him, and flee with my family to the continent. I can only advise that you do the same.

Stay safe my friend.

Lucius Malfoy

"I came as soon as I could."

Kaden Shafiq had just stepped out of the fireplace in the foyer of Fort Gaunt only to be smothered by a teary eyed Morelia.

"We're leaving, Kaden."

He was rooted to the spot. He had always feared that this war would drive him and his fiancée apart, but somehow, in the back of his mind, he didn't think it would be so soon.

Morelia looked up at him, her eyes still brimming with tears, "Say you'll come with me. Kaden please."

Her words shook him out of his musings. Only this morning he had been fortifying the wards at Hogwarts while joking around with his year mates, and now he was being asked to flee the country (probably) with the daughter of a death eater. The love of his life, but a death eater's daughter nonetheless.

"Lia, I–"

"Kaden please. He will lose tomorrow, your preparations will not be for nought."

He sighed and gently pushed Morelia off of him before giving her his most charming grin. "I would pick you over a battle to the death any day, my love."

Morelia choked out a sob before tackling him with a flurry of kisses. Only to be cut short by Adelophis loudly clearing his throat from the top of the stairs.

"Father," Morelia squeaked, before composing herself and smoothing down her skirts, "When shall we depart and...where to?"

"The sooner the better, and do not worry, it is somewhere safe."

Midnight saw every light in Fort Gaunt go dark and the castle itself seemed to shut its eyes and fall into a deep slumber as three figures hurried away from its walls towards the edge of the estate, before vanishing into thin air.

Tomorrow the fate of Britain would be determined, and Adelophis and his family would be safely out of the country.