AN: Hello, FF and Harry Potter fans. I do not own Harry Potter but feel free to enjoy this or hate it. If you enjoy it, please leave a lovely comment, if you hate it, then leave some constructive criticism, thanks!

Can You Take the Jump?

Chapter 67

"My lord," Avery watched his father bow deeply to the man in front of him. He quickly followed his father's actions by bending forward. "I am so deeply honoured that you have called us here."

"Us?" His voice was smooth, but a dormant sense of anger lurked behind the deep voice.

"I-I mean, I'm so honoured that you called my son."

"And I am honoured to have been called." Avery quickly interjected before his father could get a verbal lashing or worse.

The clicks of his shoes echoed in their entrance foyer as he circled him like a shark surrounding its prey in the water.

"Fredrick, am I right?"

"Yes, my lord, I was named after my great-great-grandfather."

"You are friends with Hermione Evans, am I correct?"

"I…friend is a rather generous term for what we were, my lord."

"But you were Miss Evans's Potions partner for a long time."

"Yes, my lord."

"Yet, you're not friends?"

"No. We very rarely ever spoke outside of class. Professor Slughorn made us partners in First Year, he thought we worked well together, so we were kept together."

"Ah, yes." Voldemort seemed reminiscent. "Horace does like to keep his students together, but you could have asked him to change partners. I imagine that having a partner that doesn't excel in the subject as you did was a bother."

"She-she wasn't the best Potioneer, but she was handy, meticulous, and tidy. Never talked unless necessary. I was able to focus easily. I didn't want another partner who might…challenge my skills and waste my time."

"If you've been with Miss Evans for that long, her twin sister must've known you."

"I…I suppose, but I've never spoken to the other Evans, my lord."

"But she knows your face?" Voldemort used a finger under his chin to lift his head. His eyes looked blood red. Anger—no, fury—simmered beneath the surface, waiting for the right time to explode. Avery instinctively knew he needed to be careful in how he responded unless he wanted that fury to explode onto him. Any form of "no" would become his fall.

"Yes, my lord." He responded clearly and confidently. "She knows who I am."

"Excellent."

…

"My word, Lily. You're positively glowing today." Arlene smiled as Lily walked in for her afternoon shift. "Isn't she glowing Tom?"

The bar owner grunted in response. Arlene gave Lily a secretive smile, telling her he was being difficult for no reason.

"He's just shy." She mouthed to her.

Lily laughed.

"Arlene," Tom muttered.

"Yes, dear." Arlene playfully rolled her eyes and resumed brooming, but her sparkling eyes turned to Lily with curiosity. "So? What's got you so happy?"

Lily got a mischievous grin on her face until she lifted her left hand, revealing a glittering large pale pink diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds on a platinum band that fit snuggly around her ring finger.

"Oh! My! GODS!" She dropped the broom and ran over to Lily in such a frenzy that she knocked her over. They both fell to the ground, causing Tom to jump over the bar in fright, but sighed with relief at the sounds of the two laughing and squealing.

"Arlene! Arlene, I can't breathe!" Lily laughed but accepted the life-threatening hug anyway.

"Darling, you should ease up on the hug."

"Oh you're right, you're right. I'm sorry, hon. Are you all right? I just got so excited."

Tom helped his wife up while Arlene helped Lily up.

"I'm fine, thank you."

She dragged Lily to a table and sat her down.

"Tell me everything!"

…

James wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked towards her flat. Sirius had left early with some excuse that he wanted Pinky's Portuguese tarts, leaving the couple alone to walk down the streets of Diagon Alley together.

James told her about his day, about the backhanded comments he got from some of his so-called "colleagues", and how worried he was about the state of Wizarding England. Lily told him about her day and about how much she felt like the people are so much more tired like the adults around her who were supposed to be fighting for a better world were just giving up.

He sighed, resting his head on her head as they walked up the stairs to her flat.

Lily took out her keys and opened the door to reveal the most astounding sight in front of her. White wisteria flowers hung from the ceiling, and white sweet peas and vibirnum snowballs decorated the ceiling as well to fill up the space that the wisteria flowers didn't. To offset the white, ferns and moss were added to give the flowery heaven a woodland touch.

"What…?" Lily whispered in awe as she looked around.

Sirius stepped out of the kitchen with a flower crown made of the same flowers. He placed it on her head, jaw wide open in shock.

"You—" she looked around then back at Sirius. "You did this?"

"Oi, I was the one who bought everything!" James pushed Sirius aside. "And I set most of it up, I just asked him to do some of the final touches."

Sirius snickered but left the couple to their own devices.

"Wait!" Lily called out. "Where will you be?"

"I have places to be, Lily, don't worry about me. Just remember what you must say when he finally asks the question."

Lily let out a laugh as Sirius gently closed the door behind him.

"Lily," James cupped her face and guided her eyes back to him, smiling at her concern for a grown-ass man. "He'll be fine. Can you please give me your attention for a minute?"

"Right," she shook herself, giving him her undivided attention with sparkling eyes. "Okay ask me. Do it. I'm ready."

James laughed.

"I'm sorry! You prepared everything! And it's so romantic, but I'm ruining it, aren't I?" He cut off her rambling by hugging her tightly.

"Do you know that you're just the prettiest girl I've ever met?" He murmured into her ear. She could hear the smile in his voice as he flirted with her.

"Am I, Mr. Potter?"

"Oh, definitely Miss Evans."

"Miss Evans? Isn't the whole reason you'd done all this because I'm not going to be Miss Evans for long?"

"Is that…is that okay? Would you do me the utmost honour in being my wife? I know we haven't been dating long, but I've been in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you. We don't have to get married right away, but with everything that's happening in the world, I want to make sure that I'm yours and your mine. I want the whole world to see that you and I have a bond that cannot be broken."

"Then what the hell are you waiting for?" Lily pulled away from him with tears in her eyes while she gave him her left hand. "Make me yours."

James pulled out a small velvet box, revealing a beautiful antique emerald art deco ring. "My mom helped me pick it out from the family vault. It resembles your eyes."

"You picked it out with your mom?" Lily giggled, wiping her tears of joy. He pulled out the ring and knelt on the ground on one knee.

"Lily Evans. Be my wife."

"James Potter, I will absolutely be your wife!"

He placed the ring on her ring finger.

A squeal escaped Lily's body entirely as she lifted James and kissed him deeply.

"I…thought you wanted…Sirius to come…back." He muttered between the kisses.

"He can wait a little longer," she licked his lips, begging for entrance, and how could James deny his new fiancée?

They stumbled to the couch removing various articles of clothing at the time. Lily giggled as he kissed her down the neck, tickling her with his breath. Her hands nudged him lower, his hands travelled up her tight jeans, there was an undeniable heat coming from between her legs. James gulped loudly.

"Lily," he pulled his own shirt off as he fiddled with the bow that kept her shirt fully closed. "Are we...?"

"Yes, James." Lily pulled the string and unravelled the corset-like shirt she pulled off the thin loose shirt beneath her corset revealing her small milky breasts, pebbled with freckles, her blush pink nipples erect with arousal. "Make love to your future wife."

James's hazel eyes were nearly black, his pupils so dilated as he looked at her with intense desire.

Lily's heart thundered in her chest.

"Yes, my dear Mrs. Lily Evans Potter." James kissed her deeply, his large and warm calloused hands covering her breasts. He groped them gently, pinching her nipple.

"I love you." He whispered. "I will spend my life loving you."

Lily's eyes teared up at the love she felt for this man she once just thought of as an annoying boy in her class. A boy she almost ignored if it hadn't been for her.

"I love you," he kissed her. "I fucking love you."

She felt worshipped by this good man, surrounded by beautiful flowers like she was in an orchard. His caresses and touch made her chest bloom with love.

"I love you."

She felt his smile against her skin.

"I love you."

…

Ice clinked in his empty glass. Lucius reached over to the bottle once more, his dirty matted hair clumped together and swaying, as he leaned over only to find it empty. When had he drunk the whole bottle?

"Dobby!"

The small elf didn't pop into the study right away.

"DOBBY!" Lucius stood, but the alcohol made his vision shake. He stumbled, falling to the floor, cushioned by the expensive Persian rug.

"Master, you called?" Dobby apparated into the room with a crack, but the young elf made sure to apparate into the far corner, away from the hands that tended to get violent when so drowned in alcohol.

"You bloody fucking useless elf! You should come when called the first time!"

"Dobby is sorry, Master. Dobby was trying to find another bottle of Master's favourite whiskey."

"Well? Where is it!?"

"Dobby is afraid there is no more."

"What do you mean there's no more."

"Master has drank it all."

"THEN GO BUY MORE!"

He threw a book within his grasp, which missed the small elf, but with nothing else to be found, he took off his slipper and threw it at him, but the elf was gone.

"FUCK!"

He lay on the floor, the world spinning around in circles. He hadn't been sober since Cissa left. At first, he thought it was guilt, but the guilt came with anger, anger came with shame, and shame came with loneliness.

He hadn't been able to stop drinking since Narcissa had left. None of his daily routines worked anymore now that she was gone. His tea didn't taste the same, his clothes didn't seem to fit the same, and his nights weren't the same.

He laughed at his patheticness. Drinking himself to abandon because he missed the wife he abandoned.

"The child I abandoned." He whispered in disgust. "Milton!"

Another elf apparated in, hiding in the corner in case another projectile object came flying at its head.

"When is the child due?"

"In three months, sir."

"Any word from Narcissa?"

"No, sir. Our last contact was that she was somewhere on the continent."

"The Malfoy account still hasn't been touched?"

"No, Master. It seems Mistress is using her family's vaults instead."

"Or so we assume. She could have met someone else. With her looks, her blood, and her poise, she could loop anyone, even when she's pregnant with my child."

"Mistress is a woman with honour and loyalty. She would not do that."

"What do you know?"

"Mistress…mistress loves master. She's loved you for a long time. Love like that doesn't disappear."

"It does when you give her no choice."

A knock so loud echoed through the whole manor.

He rose steadily at the mere sound of the knock, its desperation sobering him up in a second.

"Who's at the door, Milton?"

"W-we… we are not expecting guests, Master."

His door opened with a loud bang. Jonesy stood at the doorway in a panic. "Master, Jonesy apologizes for the disturbance, but Mister Avery is at the door and demanding your presence. I've told him that you aren't meeting any—"

"It's fine." Lucius raised his hands. He flicked his wrist, a robe flew towards him, Milton snapped his fingers and the slipper that he threw at Dobby appeared in front of him, perfectly placed so that if he took a step the slipper would simply slip right into his feet.

"Malfoy! MALFOY! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU WHITE-HAIRED RAT! Show your bloody face you cowering piece of shit!"

"Those are some offensive words for someone who barges into the home of said white-haired rat. What do you want, Avery?" Lucius walked down the steps to the main foyer to see Avery stumbling through the marble floors. He had a crazed look in his eyes, unfocused and frightened beyond reason.

The younger Slytherin took an audible gulp, shaking and near hyperventilation. "This is where you were all this time? Hiding in this bloody manor while the rest of us are suffering since she left?"

"It's not my fault she left," Lucius glowered. "Besides, hiding at home would be a terrible hiding place."

"He ordered me to lure her. He wants her."

Lucius rolled his eyes at his dramatics. "He's always wanted her."

"No, not that Evans. Not our Evans. The other one. He wants her sister. And he wants me to do it, kidnap her. All to lure Evans back here into the palm of his hands."

"What?" Lucius stopped at the bottom of the steps, frozen at the realization.

"What do I do? If I don't do it, he'll kill my parents. He'll kill me. But if I bring Evans's sister… Lucius help me. Tell me what to do."

"I… I—" Lucius wracked his brain thinking about what he could do in this situation. There was no solution. "We need to talk with Severus. He will…he will know something."

Avery seemed to agree, but the frustration built once more. "Where the fuck is Evans?"

…

Severus sat in his mother's neighbour's home, sipping tea, bewildered and feeling terribly awkward as to why his mother asked him to join her, and most importantly, not knowing where Hermione Evans was.

"Would you like some more cucumber sandwiches, Severus?"

The elderly woman pushed the tiny cube of cucumber sandwich toward him with a smile.

"Uh, no. No, thank you, Mrs. Whittaker."

"You're mother's told me so much about you, dear. I've also seen you work around her garden. I must say, it looks marvellous."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid I'm not much of a green thumb like my mother. I enjoy working with the plants, though. I like seeing the amount of effort I put in, reflect back to me as the plants grow."

"Ah! Never has such true words been spoken!" Mrs. Whittaker clapped her hands, "Eileen told me that you weren't the type to be good with words, but it seems to me, your mother knows you a little less than she thinks!"

"My Severus has grown so much in the last year, it's hard to even recognize him!" Eileen boasted softly, covering her hands with her mouth as she laughed brightly. It was nice to see. Back in Spinner's End, his mother never interacted with the neighbourhood women, scared of what they'll say and do if they ever saw her bruises after his father's drunken craze. Her mother was happy with Alphard, but she still never really had friends, this time, scared of the judgement of the other Purebloods when they saw her failed marriage to a muggle man.

In this muggle neighbourhood far from the city, no one said anything. No one knew anything. Eileen Prince was whomever she wanted to be. She blossomed like a flower that had shrivelled away due to a long and harsh winter, more beautiful than ever before.

"Say, Severus," Mrs. Whittaker set her teacup down with a mischievous grin on her face. "Are you single, my dear?"

"Pardon me?"

"Dorothy!" Eileen admonished. "I told you that my Severus isn't interested!"

"Oh hush," the older woman shook his mother off, "He is sixteen! I was engaged by his age, you know?" She turned back to him with that same smile. "I'm not saying you have to get married, but a nice young man like you should have a nice young woman by your side."

He let out a nervous laugh.

"My granddaughter is coming to visit me this weekend, won't you be a dear and show her around? She's around your age, you know?"

"I-I'm afraid I don't know much about what people my age do."

"Well, that's fine, my granddaughter knows plenty! She can teach you as repayment for showing her around! My sweet sweet Janet is beautiful and smart! She has the kindest soul and she's a wonderful cook with a great sense of style! She is a little rambunctious, but I've been told that's a good thing these days."

"She sounds lovely, but I'm afraid I have someone already."

"You have a lady?"

"Not exactly, but I…we're just—"

"Unrequited, is it?"

Severus paused at her keen senses.

"Then don't say no, yet. Just meet her once. I think you'll be a good match."

"I don't…" His enchanted coin burned in his pocket. Hermione?! He jumped up in surprise, spilling hot tea on himself, hitting his knee on the coffee table, causing things to fall off the tiered tower. "Ah!" He cried at the hot tea. "I'm, ah, so sorry." He grimaced at the pain on his abdomen from the tea. "I'm sorry about this, but I've got to go. Now. I've got to go now."

"Severus! You're being incredibly rude!"

"I know, and I'm so sorry, but…" The coin burned again. "I've got to go. I'm sorry."

"Make it up to me by taking my granddaughter on a date," Mrs. Whittaker demanded. "All will be forgiven."

"O-oh-okay. Done."

Once Severus was safely outside of the home, he dug into his pocket and looked at the coin.

Emergency. Malfoy Manor. Now.

…

Lily brushed a stray curl away from James's face. Smiling at this soft snore and skewed glasses. She gently removed the glasses and placed them on the bedside table. She laughed quietly at this slight groan of annoyance.

She felt a soreness between her legs that ached so sweetly.

James had been incredibly loving and sweet, so very generous with a saintly amount of patience. She felt loved, revered and cared for. Everything had been so incredibly perfect. She knew that not every girl's first experience was quite so lovely.

She was lucky.

She's always been lucky. The twin that was never sick, the more popular sister, smarter than Petunia, more sociable than Hermione, surrounded by good friends, magical, and now, a fiancée that adores her. The thing about luck, however, was that it always ran out.

Lily gently removed James's arms around her waist and snuck out of bed. She picked up his shirt, a cliché, she knew, but something she always wanted to try, and put it on. She had to muffle a laugh when she realized it didn't have the same effect as she imagined. James was not a very large man and Lily was not a small girl, she was lanky, tall and all limbs. The shirt just barely covered her arse, and the sleeves fell past her fingers, but part of that reason was that the shoulders were so broad.

She left the room quietly closing the room behind her.

The moon was still high in the night sky. Lily sat by the windowsill looking out the window at the quiet of Diagon Alley. In the night, the only visible lights were from a select few pubs such as the Leaky Cauldron. The only place that seemed to be completely alive was Knockturn Alley. The infamous area was a place Lily was told was forbidden when she was first introduced to Diagon Alley by Mrs. Prince all those years ago, something even Hermione seemed to agree with. An area where poverty and crime run amok, an area that hides everyone whether it be criminals, prostitutes, or simple runaways.

Hermione wasn't the only smart one in the family.

Once Lily calmed down enough to truly think about why her sister disappeared, she didn't need Sirius's unwavering faith. Despite being more emotional than Hermione, Lily was still one of the top students in Hogwarts and someone capable of using logic and reasoning impressively well. On a slow day at the Leaky Cauldron, she sat down and wrote out everything she knew about her sister and her priorities.

Assuming that Hermione left to get a job done without the watchful eye of another, she would go, but she'd never leave forever, especially with the current muggle-born-hating political climate. The simple fact was, Hermione loved her too much to leave England forever, especially if the country was on the brink of war. At least, Hermione wouldn't leave without her. A fact that everyone seemed to have forgotten due to the panic of her disappearance. A fact that Lily also forgot until she was able to compose herself and think through her sister's disappearance.

Therefore, if Lily was to make yet another assumption; after Hermione successfully completed what she needed to do, her protection-obsessed sister would return to England and remain relatively close to her. Most likely hidden in plain sight.

While Lily worried and missed her sister, she no longer feared whether or not she'd return. But now with the rumours of this red-haired prostitute, Lily wondered if she should have been as hands-off about her sister's time away from home.

She looked toward the only lit street in the area as she rubbed the new jewellery on her finger.

"Why're you up? Are you hurt? Was I too rough?" James walked out of the room with just his boxers on trying to smash his glasses back onto his face. He looked worried as he came rushing to her side.

"No," she reassured him as she reached for him to come closer to her. "You were wonderful."

He kissed her lovingly.

"You, my future wife, were even more so. Simply breathtaking." They smiled at each other. He caressed her face, tucking a hair behind her ear. "But if you're really fine, why are you out here?"

"I'm engaged."

A smile crawled onto his face, brightening his features. "That you most definitely are," he nuzzled his nose with her while he reached down to her left hand to rub the ring on her ring finger.

"But I cannot tell my family. I cannot tell my twin sister. I had sex. I lost my virginity in the most amazing way to the man I love, to the man I am to marry, but my sister is not here to share my joys."

"I…" he sighed knowing there was nothing that could be said. He rested his head on her chest, breathing in the scent of her skin. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "It's not your fault, but she's out there. I should be out there searching for her. I know my sister better than anyone and if someone were to find her, it should be me."

"So that is what we'll do. First thing tomorrow morning, so come to bed, my dear. Come to bed, my wife."

Lily couldn't help but smile.

…

Sirius walked down the streets and knew he'd come to the right place as the sounds of people grew louder and louder with each step.

Men yelled drunkenly with women wrapped around their arms, who laughed coyishly, eyeing the bag of galleons hanging on their belts rather than focusing on the man who was showcasing some form of bravado to gain their attention. Sirius walked past them without paying much attention, however, he must've caught her eye because he could feel her eyes following him.

"Don't you fucking stray your attention from me, you whore! I am the one who fucking paid for your time!"

She screamed as the man pulled her by the hair.

"Hey! What the fuck are you doing?" Sirius ran up to the man and grabbed his wrist, he gripped it tightly, feeling the bones around his wrist bend from the strength of his grip.

"Aughhh!" The man cried in pain. "Let go of me!"

"Let go of her first!"

"F-fine!" The man released the woman's hair and she scurried away back into the club, but Sirius didn't let go.

"You think that that makes you a man?" Sirius growled. "You think that using your strength against a much weaker woman makes you a fucking man?"

"Let go!" The man grimaced, trying to pull away from him. "Do you know who I am?"

"I don't give two fucking shits who you are," Sirius scoffed. "But now that you mention it, do you know who the fuck I am?"

"Y-y-you're—"

"I'm the person who's going to teach you how to keep your fucking hands to yourself," his eyes blazed as his fists lifted. Finally, an outlet for all the fucking anger he felt for all these months. "Trust me, I'm going to enjoy this much more than you will."

There was a sick satisfaction when Sirius felt the crunch of the man's nose break under his fist.

"AHHHHHHH! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

He lifted his arm to go in for another swing, but before he could punch the man once more, someone hooked their arm around his, stopping him from landing the blow.

"Ah!" Sirius turned, shocked at the amount of strength the person had. They hadn't just stopped him, they had stopped him completely, as though his arm was hooked around an immovable object. There was no budge at all.

"That's quite enough, young man."

"YOU!" The aggressive man held his bloody nose while using the other hand to point accusatorily at the man who stopped Sirius. "Is this how you allow others to treat your VIP clients?!"

"Apologies, sir. I will reprimand this young man immediately; however, I must tell you this."

"What?"

"You're not a VIP client, Mr. Selwyn."

Sirius couldn't help but snicker at the pathetic man's gaping face as he was dragged away.

"Thank you," the strong man told him once they were far away enough. "Thank you for standing up for one of our girls, but I request that you do not do so again."

"You don't want me to help someone in need?" Sirius threw his hands off his shoulder. "What's wrong with you?"

"I assure you; our girls are never truly in danger. We ensure it."

"You ensure it?"

"It's our club's promise to our workers."

"Your club…you're the owner of Deepest Desire?"

"No, I am head of security for Deepest Desire."

"Mr. Vampire!" The woman who had her hair pulled by that man, Selwyn, ran over to them with a smile. "You found my hero!"

"Vampire?!" "Hero?" The two responded at the same time.

"What are you doing? Why haven't you invited him in for a free drink? He is my hero, after all."

The woman grabbed his arm, pushing it between her full bosom, leaving Sirius rather flustered as he was dragged into the booming nightclub. Sirius looked around in awe. He had no clue that an establishment this luxe and high-end was hidden in the deepest ends of Knockturn Alley.

"Well, dearest," the woman batted her lashes flirtatiously as she poured him a very nice bottle of firewhiskey. "I thank you deeply for saving me from that brute of a man. I have no idea what would have happened to me if you hadn't intervened."

Sirius couldn't see the vampire's eyes, just the bottom 1/3 of his face, but for some reason, he was sure the dark creature had just rolled his eyes.

"Nothing would have happened. I was already on my way."

"So you say, but you don't know what could have happened in the time it took for you to get to me if it wasn't for this gallant and dashing young man."

She certainly laid on the flattery thick.

The vampire walked away, leaving Sirius with the well-endowed woman with batting eyelashes.

"Uh, it was no problem. It was my pleasure."

"Hm," she looked him up and down, undressing him with her eyes. "There's no way I could forget a face like yours around here, so it must be your first time at Deepest Desire. My name's Rain, sweetheart."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Rain."

"Miss Rain?" The woman laughed, her large breasts—barely contained by her skimpy lingerie set—shaking right in front of his face. Sirius wasn't sure what was so funny, but he was glad he could make her laugh. "Oh darling, no one calls any of us Miss-anything, not unless we're doing a scene. It's just Rain, darling. Unless…" she raised her brow suggestively.

Sirius wasn't entirely sure what a scene was, exactly, but he had enough sense to know that it involved sex.

"I," he sat up straighter, putting distance between the woman and himself, "was told by a man that this is the place I should come to if I wanted information."

"Information?!"

"Information?" The vampire appeared next to him in an instant. Sirius jumped back at his incredible speed and stealth.

"No! I found him! He's mine!"

"You know that isn't how this works, Rain."

"What's going on?" Sirius looked back and forth between the two but was ignored by them both.

"You know that information clients go to Angel."

"Yeah! With the information we give her! Angel gets all the best clients. Every VIP. I found him. He's mine."

"Rain." The tone held warning and caution.

The woman clenched her jaw, "It's fucking unfair."

"Take that up with Angel, not me."

He could see her push her anger down and put on a mask of nonchalance as she allowed a smirk to fall across her face. "Fine," she told the vampire. "But don't forget about me, sugar. Come back again and I'll show you what a real good time feels like."

Sirius swallowed his discomfort.

"So, you want information?" The vampire asked.

"Who is Angel? Is she the owner?"

"No, that would be Madame Virtue," he pointed to an older woman who stood near a velvet rope separating the main room and a corridor.

"Then who's Angel?"

"Our…best girl."

A lie. Hermione's impenetrable mask had unknowingly trained Sirius to read most people.

"Okay, fine. Bring me to Angel."

"Impossible."

"What?"

"You just missed her. She left right after her last client."

Sirius pulled out his pocket watch. "What prostitute leaves work at 11 PM?"

"As I've said, she's our best girl."

"That's quite the liberty you give your workers here. Perhaps I should apply," Sirius replied scathingly. He had a feeling that the creature didn't like him from the moment he saw him, but now Sirius was sure of it. He was purposely hiding this 'Angel' away from him.

"I'm sure Madame Virtue would be thrilled to have someone like you on board," the vampire replied, ignoring the obvious sarcasm.

Sirius clenched his fist tightly, "What time will she be at work tomorrow? Angel, I mean."

"She will not be back tomorrow. Or the next day. She will not be back until next week."

"NEXT WEEK?!"

The live music, the chatter, the laughter, and the moans that surrounded the club came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone's eyes turned to them, watching, observing.

A small nod from the vampire got the place going again as if nothing had happened, but now the undercurrent of the atmosphere had shifted. Sirius knew that everyone was listening to their conversation.

"Yes, next week."

"May I get her contact information?" He asked in a more civilized tone, trying not to show his desperation any further than he already had.

"No, unfortunately, she left without telling us an address for owl post or fire call."

His brow twitched in confusion, "Then how do you know if she'll even return?"

The vampire remained quiet. That's when Sirius realized that they didn't.

Basically, he was fucked, but so were they.

…

Any type of international magical travel was tracked and traceable, or at least they usually are if one has no connections within the Ministry's Department of Magical Transportation.

This was why Hermione she sent a silent prayer of thanks to Kitty's frequent client; Podrick Edgecombe.

From what Hermione had heard about the man, he was the wizard equivalent of a muggle who was obsessed with trains as a child and successfully made their obsession into a career by becoming a railroad conductor for King's Cross. Except for this case, the obsession was the magic of Apparition and the train conductor was, the old Head of the Department of Magical Transportation.

Edgecombe wasn't a man who came to Deepest Desire for sex, alcohol, or even drugs. He was simply a high-functioning autistic and lonely man who wanted someone to talk to. A man whose obsession with magical transportation had driven everyone away from him, even his colleagues were apprehensive to start a conversation with him in fear that they'd be stuck next to him for the foreseeable hour or two talking about the mechanisms and diversity of magical transportation.

Kitty charged the man an unfair number of galleons so that he could simply talk to her about his obsession without being interrupted.

Thankfully for Hermione (and unfortunately for Edgecombe), she was about to abuse the copious amounts of information that Kitty brought her weekly.

The door swung open with a small chime, despite the late hours. As far as Hermione knew, Borgin and Burkes never closed their doors, ready to cut a deal with anyone who dares to enter the ominous shop.

A man lifted the white and oddly shaped bead curtain that divided the back of the shop to the front.

"Ah, I believe you are the infamous Angel," Borgin identified her on the spot. "Anthony Borgin, at your service."

"Mr. Borgin," she greeted. "I heard a rumour that you've got a customer from the Department of Magical Transportation come here 2 months ago. I also heard that he traded a bagful of international portkeys for some cash."

"You've heard a lot of things, little Miss."

"Men love to talk when they are satisfied."

Borgin smirked snobbishly. Being in Knockturn and handling the dark magical objects he kept in this shop, Borgin must've encountered a wide range of customers from the ultra-wealthy to the filthiest poor. He clearly thought she couldn't afford what she was asking for.

"I'm assuming they can't be traced?"

"I run an honest business," he sounded affronted. "20 galleons for one."

She reached into her small purse with an undetectable extension charm and pulled out 2 hefty bags filled with galleons.

"Give me all you've got."

…

Sirius walked home, dejected and drunk. The latter hadn't been part of his plan, but the first part, getting information about Hermione's whereabouts, had failed before he could put it into motion, so he felt like a drink or 6 or 15, couldn't hurt.

He could hear her annoyed voice in his mind, nagging at him for spending his money so lavishly.

"I'm helping the economy, Evans."

"Who are you talking to?" Four shadows stepped out into the dimly lit pathway. It was the dead of night. No one was around. And he was drunk off his arse.

Fuck.

He pulled the inner lining of his pockets out to show their emptiness.

"You guys got me at the wrong time, mates. I've just spent all my money at an overpriced nightclub."

"We don't want your money, Black." This time, Sirius was focused enough to realize that he could recognize that voice.

"Snape?" He looked at the other three people standing next to him. "Avery? Reggie? Malfoy?" He stumbled. His brother reached out and stabilized him, putting his arm around his shoulder for more support. He looked at his brother, so much taller than he remembered.

"Get yourself together, Black." Malfoy's voice sounded like he rolled his eyes. "We have no time for your drunken disorderly behaviour."

"Sirius," Regulus pulled him to focus. "We have something we need to discuss with you. It's urgent. Can we talk upstairs?"

Sirius glanced back and forth between all the Slytherins surrounding him. Not just any Slytherins, but Hermione's Slytherins. If they needed to talk to him, then perhaps this was about…

Sirius instantly sobered up.

"Yeah, let's go. No wait! Lily's enga—" he stopped abruptly, glancing at Snape. "Lily's probably sleeping, but if this is about Hermione, she'll probably want to hear anyway."

"It's not about Hermione," Snape shook his head. "It's about Lily."

"The four of you got together to talk about Lily?!"

When no one laughed, Sirius knew something was wrong.

"If it's about her, shouldn't she—"

"No." All four replied immediately.

"Fine, but I don't have anywhere else… actually, I think I know a place. I just came from there. If we pay enough, they'll give us a private room. If we pay them even more, we can ensure their silence."

…