Sorry for another long absence. This time I had good reasons though. I have found a new job! In Belgium! So, over the summer, I moved from Austria to Belgium and have now taught for 3 weeks already. It has been busy so far, but I absolutely love it! My previous school has sucked the life out of me, and I barely had any energy to write. But here I love my students and what I teach, the colleagues are super nice, and I have enough energy at the end of the day to write!

As always, thanks for your lovely reviews, the follows, and favorites. Read, enjoy and review :)

"We think we know where the ring is," Draco finally announced when the silence in Dumbledore's office had grown too heavy.

Mother even claimed that Melinda cursed Valerian and his concubine, but I am certain she was exaggerating.

He could still hear the words of Phineas Nigellus Black in his head, and he was certain that so could Harry. Although the boy could not possibly know the significance of the portrait's words, Draco was sure he knew that Black had said something profound. But Harry knew nothing of Astoria's secret, and Draco did not want to change that. It was personal. And it was not his secret to tell.

"Is that so?" replied Dumbledore, his eyes on Draco.

Draco felt immensely grateful that Dumbledore was willing to play along.

"We've searched the library at Grimmauld Place for anything and everything we could find on the Dark Lord's family," Draco continued, his gaze wandering to Harry, who was suspiciously quiet. "We think it is in a little shack that they used to live in," he summarized, although he doubted that any of it was news to Dumbledore.

"You think Astoria is cursed."

"It is located in the woods," Draco continued loudly, "near a town called Little Hang-"

"You think," Harry repeated more fervently, cutting him off, "Astoria is cursed." Again, it was not phrased as a question, but as a statement.

"I- uhm," Draco was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. He looked to Dumbledore for guidance, but before the headmaster could say anything, Harry continued.

"I know she's been sick a lot," Harry said. "I've seen you read books about curses and ancestry. You seem to know the Pure-Blood Directory by heart. At first, I thought it might be a pureblood thing, but if everyone knew that stuff so well, I doubt Voldemort's identity would be much of a secret."

When Draco did not react to the statement in any way, shape or form, Harry continued. "I also know what Bill is and that you've been talking to him. And just now, the way you reacted when Phineas Nigellus talked about a curse… That's what you wanted to hear, isn't it? It's what you expected to hear."

"I- I-" What point was there in lying? Harry had figured it out already. He wasn't asking. He knew. "Yes," he finally sighed. "I'm sure you've noticed how often Astoria gets sick. It seems like anytime anyone around her sneezes, she gets a cold. But it's not just bad luck; it's a blood malediction, a serious one. And it will only get worse over the years. Eventually," his voice wavered, "it will kill her." He took a few grounding breaths, remembering that he still had time to change this, and now also some more concrete information with which Bill Weasley could work.

"There's always been rumors about a curse on her family," he continued. "But it hasn't affected any family members in years, so many thought it a myth. Then Astoria started showing signs, and well, no one in her family thinks it's a myth any longer. The best healers have had a look at her, but none have found a way to help her yet."

"I am sorry," said Harry after a while.

Draco smiled. "Don't be. Bill said if he knows who was cursed, why, by whom and with what curse, he can break it. And Elladora and Phineas Nigellus have provided us the who, why and by whom. Now all we have to do is find out what specific curse was used."

He shook his head. He still could not believe his good luck and, if he was to be honest with himself, he was scared to do so. Whenever things had been looking up for him in the past couple of years, a catastrophe was just around the corner.

That the solution to the worst tragedy of his life had been found in a teenager's diary just seemed too good to be true. The Greengrass family had spent a fortune on the best healers in the world, but none of them had been able to help Astoria. Perhaps had they tried curse breakers instead of healers… But there was no use dwelling on such things now. And he really shouldn't be counting his dragons before they hatched.

"We know who was present that day," said Harry, "perhaps we'll find more in diaries now that we know what to look for. Or perhaps there's a portrait that could provide us with more information."

"Sounds like a plan." Draco smiled at Harry. Perhaps it wasn't so bad that another person now knew of his secret. "So… the ring?" Draco asked. If Harry had any more questions, he could ask them once they were back at Grimmauld Place.

Harry nodded, seemingly content with the answers Draco had provided. "We know where it is. We could apparate there right now and be done with those blasted things once and for all."

"There'd still be the snake," Draco reminded him, but nodded in agreement. To kill the snake, they would have to confront the Dark Lord directly and that could wait.

"I welcome your enthusiasm," said Dumbledore, who had so far quietly observed their interaction, "but I am afraid you will have to wait a few more days before we can retrieve the ring. Today has been the last day of school and the teachers are gathered in the staff room, awaiting my arrival."

Draco nodded. They were dismissed. As the headmaster, Dumbledore could not just leave the school whenever it pleased him. And the last day of the school year certainly was a day that the headmaster should not miss.

As Draco stepped out of the fireplace in the spacious kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place, he was attacked from behind. The assailant had his arms around him, nearly suffocating him.

It took him a few seconds to realize that there was no danger at all and that the attack was actually not an attack, but a bear hug.

"Theo?" Draco choked out once he had wriggled out of the bone-crushing hug enough to recognize the attacker, and surprise soon made way for joy. Although it had only been a week, it felt as if he hadn't seen Theo in months.

"In the flesh," said Theo, releasing Draco. "Good to see you alive, mate. Honestly."

"It takes a bit more than polyjuiced imposters and the resurrection of a Dark Lord to kill me," replied Draco with a faint smile.

Theo laughed, but soon sobered up. "Seriously mate, Neville and I were so worried when we couldn't find you anymore at the tournament. Snape was nowhere to be found. It took me ages, but I eventually found Dumbledore and told him what we had found out. When Neville arrived a few minutes later, we tried to find you. It became obvious pretty quickly that Harry and… and Cassius were gone. But there were so many people and such a scramble, it took us a while to figure out you were gone as well. I thought…" Theo hesitated, his eyes on the floor. "I thought the worst. I thought you guys were all dead."

Draco swallowed over a lump in his throat caused by the honest concern he saw on his friend's face. "I… I don't know what to say. For a while I thought we weren't going to make it. I woke up surrounded by Death Eaters… And Warrington…" He sighed. "I promise I'll tell you everything, but it's a long story."

As if on cue, he heard something behind him and when he turned around, Harry was standing in the room as well.

Harry looked a bit disoriented, before his eyes fell on Draco's friend. "Huh? What are you doing here?"

"Why, thank you, Harry," replied Theo dryly, "it's nice to see you, too. I live here, by the way."

Harry laughed. "Sorry, I just didn't expect you back so soon. It's great to see you."

Theo smiled. "I've been so worried about you and Draco. Draco wrote a letter saying you two were fine, but it's still good to see it with my own eyes."

"I get that Harry was a bit blunt about it," Draco said, "but why are you already here? The train isn't supposed to arrive in London for another couple of hours."

Theo shrugged. "Dumbledore thought it would be better for me and Neville not to take the train," he explained. "So, Snape organized my return and I guess McGonagall organized Neville's."

Draco nodded. It wouldn't have been safe for either of them. It was not a secret that Theo was staying with Sirius, and they could not risk anyone following him to the Order's headquarter. And Neville's parents were wanted by both the ministry and the Death Eaters.

"How's school been?" asked Harry. He grabbed a bottle of pumpkin juice from the kitchen counter and slumped down in one of the chairs around the kitchen table.

Theo sighed and started playing with the hem of his robes. "School has been… difficult. The Dark Lord has returned, a… a student was found dead…"

"I'd have thought at least a couple of students would… you know…" Harry trailed off.

"Celebrate?" asked Theo evenly. "You'd think that but all those who might celebrate the Dark Lord's return are grieving… Cassius was one of us. And whether we were on the same side or not, whether we were friends with him or not… we all knew him. We studied with him. We hung around the common room with him. We cheered for him during Quidditch and… the tournament. And now he is gone, leaving behind an empty bed in Slytherin, and an empty spot at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall…"

Draco gulped. Cassius' death had devastated Draco, but more out of guilt than actual grief. That he had not returned to school after the graveyard meant that he had not been confronted with his absence so much. Now that Theo reminded him that Cassius had been more than a figure in a game of chess, more than a mistake Draco had made, he felt a new type of weight settle on him.

"This is not to say," Theo continued, "that the tension and the arguments aren't still there. They are worse than ever. And it's not just Slytherins fighting amongst each other. It's the other houses as well. There is so much hatred… And fear, too. Many are scared."

"Fear of Voldemort?" asked Harry carefully, and Theo flinched.

"That, too. But that's not all. Everyone knows a war is brewing. It's only a matter of time. So far it has been easy to stay out of it all. That will change once the real fighting starts." He sighed. "Draco – you and I, we've faced this decision before. We had put it off for as long as we could, but ultimately, we'd always known that you can't stay neutral in a situation of injustice. You either do what's right, or you're supporting injustice. And while I don't regret how I chose; the decision was not an easy one. I had put it off, and I know you did the same. But we both faced situations in which we had to make a decision and neutrality was not an option. Many students are now confronted with the same decision - do what you think is right and risk losing those you love, or keep your loved ones and betray your beliefs. And, of course, the knowledge that your choice might lead to your death, either way."

Yes, Draco knew. He knew that in matters of injustice, neutrality did not exist. In his mind, he could still sometimes hear the screams of a tortured Luna Lovegood that was kept in the basement of Malfoy manor. He had never particularly liked her, but he had keenly felt how wrong the whole thing had been. For the first time in his life, he had doubted the Dark Lord and his parents. However, he had done nothing about it. He had supported the wrong side until the very end, and Harry had given him and his family far too much credit after the war.

But if that point in his life had not been enough for him to do what was right, it had at least been the moment in which he had started to question what he had always taken for granted. And out of that questioning, a conscience had developed. This conscience had made accepting the outcome of the war much easier than it had been for many of his house mates.

Avoiding conflict entirely had been his plan when he had first arrived back in time. The thought that his newly developed conscience would be content with such a course of action seemed preposterous in retrospect. As soon as he had arrived, the injustice around him had gnawed at him in a way that it had not originally.

Yet, he had still avoided truly stepping out of line. The fear of losing his family had been too great. And perhaps he was also a coward. Avoiding disagreement with his family and looking the other way had been two very safe routes. But he'd always known that once the Dark Lord was back, staying out of it would automatically mean he supported him.

He thus understood the fear at Hogwarts very well. All of them leaned one way or the other, no one was completely neutral. But not all of them were willing to put their lives at risk for their beliefs. However, they would soon be forced to do so, and they all felt that day approaching.

"School has always been a safe space. A place where you could argue about politics, but only in a very abstract sense. They all feel that this is changing. No one knows how safe Hogwarts will be next year."

"There is no safer place than Hogwarts," argued Harry. Apparently, the talk they'd had a while ago about returning to Hogwarts had only kept him quiet but had not actually changed his mindset.

"Of course, you would say that," replied Theo, and Harry glowered at him. "But you are also the prime example that it's just not true. You have spent half of your time at Hogwarts with Madame Pomfrey. Last year you were nearly killed by a werewolf who lived and taught at Hogwarts-"

Harry crossed his arms. "Remus is perfectly safe to be around."

"I enjoyed his classes just as much as everyone else, but you can't deny what happened. And it happened while you were at Hogwarts. It happened although Dumbledore and the teachers all knew about it. And… the events of the third task… those happened while we were at Hogwarts as well. There were teachers, there were Aurors,… and still three students disappeared right in front of our eyes, and one will never return... It's hard to feel particularly safe after that. And many blame Dumbledore for it…"

"What?" asked Harry, his voice alarmed.

Theo looked uncertain. "I've tried to keep an open mind until I got the chance to hear what happened from you guys. But just reading the Prophet, listening to people talk at school, and hearing the rumors… It really looks like Dumbledore has messed up. He did not recognize an imposter in his own school. A student died during a school event at the hands of an Auror. And everyone knows said Auror works for Dumbledore... Many think he is no longer fit to run the school and some even think he should be in Azkaban for what happened."

"That's ridiculous," replied Harry. "Absolutely ridiculous."

"You aren't one of them, are you?" asked Draco, carefully reviewing everything Theo had said with growing concern. He was not surprised that the whole school knew about Tonk's allegedly murdering Cassius. While it had not been reported in the Prophet, many of the Death Eaters and Order members were also parents or older siblings. And it was in the Death Eaters' best interest to spread a story that painted Dumbledore in such a terrible light. He also doubted that they knew that it had not actually been Tonks who had killed him. If they did, the Dark Lord would surely have fewer followers.

Theo didn't look at either of them as he shrugged his shoulders.

"What?" Harry looked aghast. "You can't be serious. I know you spent a lot of time in Slyt-"

"Don't," hissed Theo, his early uncertainty turning into rage, "blame this on Slytherin. We've done nothing wrong! Being a Slytherin is not a crime!"

"I never said that!" Harry yelled, jumping out of his chair.

"You don't have to say it," growled Theo. "It is bloody obvious-"

"Guys!" Draco stepped between the two. "Calm down!"

Theo spun around, stepping away from them.

His shoulders looked tense and Draco could see that he was breathing heavily. Harry moved towards Theo, but Draco motioned him to stay where he was. "Is everything alright, Theo?"

"No. No it isn't. Nothing is alright. And I am not sure if things are ever going to be alright again." Theo turned around again, looking at them, his eyes glassy. "Someone died. And it seems like the world is just concerned with how to use this as political leverage. Some even say he deserved it for being a Slytherin or for being there. But he wasn't a bad guy. He was… just like us. Just like you two. In the wrong place at the wrong time."

Harry and Draco looked at each other.

"I'm sorry," Harry finally ventured. "I think about him every day and I know that Draco does, too. You have to know that if there had been any way, any way at all to save him, we would have."

Draco nodded along, although he felt wrong doing so. There had been a way to keep Cassius alive, and Draco had meddled with time and thus changed that.

"He stood up to Him," Draco finally added. "That's the last thing he did. He stood up to the Dark Lord to protect me."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I didn't know him very well, but he helped me during the tournament. And he truly did not deserve to die. I'm sorry if I made it sound like Slytherin was to blame for what happened or for how you feel… You are one of the best examples that houses don't mean anything. You, and Draco, and Daphne."

"Thanks," said Theo. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I know you aren't like that. But there's so many accusations flying around at school, I guess it's a bit of a sore point for me. When people say he deserved to die because he was a Slytherin... it makes me wonder if they'd say the same thing if it had been me. And Cassius' death…" Theo groaned and let a hand wander through his hair. "His death has divided the school more than anything. And now everyone is fighting when they should be grieving."

Draco did not know what to say to that. He remembered grieving after Crabbe had died, and also his mother mourning the death of her sister. They were left alone in their sorrow, having nowhere to turn, for no one felt any sympathy for dead Death Eaters.

But there was something else that bothered him about what Theo had just said. "Theo… what you said about Dumbledore-"

"Forget I said anything," Theo quickly interrupted Draco.

"But Theo," Draco urged, "you really meant what you said earlier, right? It's not just Slytherins who are fighting? And it's not just Slytherins doubting Dumbledore?" Theo had mentioned it earlier, but Draco had assumed that he had meant Slytherins were fighting amongst each other and the other houses were fighting with Slytherin. But if Slytherin was grieving the loss of one of their own, a divided school had to refer to the other houses.

Theo grew hesitant again. "No, it's not just Slytherin. It's mostly Slytherin, but there's a growing number of students from other houses who are questioning him. It's really worrying. Those who are on Dumbledore's side have to rationalize Cassius' death somehow, so they assume he deserved it. But others have started to question whether Dumbledore is truly the good guy here."

"Great," groaned Draco. "That number can only grow over the holidays if students get their information through the Prophet."

"And you really are one of those who's started doubting him?" Harry asked.

Theo looked miserable. "I never said that. I said that many do and that I don't know what to believe. I want to know your side of the story before I condemn anyone. All I truly know is that he knew that there was some plot to get you two. He must have known that. And still you two disappeared right under his nose. Neville and I told him what we knew and somehow, he knew where you guys were. He then sent Aurors and Order members after you, and one of them ended up killing Cassius. That's all I really know, and it doesn't sound good for Dumbledore."

Put that way, Draco thought, it really did not look good for Dumbledore at all. But Harry and Draco could explain to Theo what had really happened, and he was certain Theo would understand. However, Theo was clearly not the only one wondering why an Order member had killed a child and how Dumbledore was involved in this. And those others, Harry and Draco would not be able to talk to.

"We think Barty Crouch used Polyjuice to look like Tonks and then killed Cassius," explained Harry. "He was the one impersonating Barty Crouch Senior and he was the one who kidnapped Draco. He definitely had Polyjuice with him and he clearly isn't above killing."

"And we knew that someone might be in the castle under Polyjuice as well," added Draco. He looked at Harry. "I told you in the infirmary after the attack in the forest. And I talked to Dumbledore about it. But I honestly don't think he knew who it was. That's why he put a tracking charm on you."

"He did what?" Harry spun away from Theo and towards Draco.

Draco lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Didn't he tell you?"

"No."

"How did you think they found us?" Harry's expression told him everything he needed to know. "If he hadn't put that charm on you, we would have been stuck there on our own."

Harry looked at him but did not say anything.

"Why did he tell you about it, though?" asked Theo.

"I had some of the same thoughts you did and confronted him about it- Don't give me that look, either of you. Yeah, I thought he wasn't doing enough to protect Harry and confronted him about it. I think I even yelled something like 'What the hell is wrong with you' at him," he laughed, when the two others looked at him in shock. "That's when he told me that he was keeping a close eye on you, Harry, and that he would put a tracking charm on you. He also had the cup under constant surveillance."

"Wow," commented Theo. "You've got some guts."

"That's one word for it," smiled Draco. Insanity was another. "I know you probably have more questions. But I think it would be easier if Harry and I just told you the story from the beginning."

Theo considered it, then nodded his head.

Harry did not object, so they all sat around the kitchen table and Draco began to tell their tale. It was easier than it had been the first time he had had to tell it. He had a clearer picture of what had happened that he had not directly observed through countless interactions with order members and through discussing the events with Dumbledore and Harry. But he had also managed to detach himself somewhat from the events, so that he could talk about Cassius without the maelstrom of emotions that had raged inside of him for the first few days after.

Theo listened without interrupting, but his tense posture and changing facial expressions told Draco that he was listening well.

"It's a miracle you two are still with us," Theo finally commented when Draco had finished. "I can't believe the both of you dueled the Dark Lord and live to tell the tale."

Harry smiled. "Too bad that's not public knowledge. It might damage Voldemort's reputation if everyone knew he couldn't win against two teenagers."

Draco shook his head. "I am certain he tortured such thoughts out of anyone at the graveyard. And while such information might keep people from joining him, it would be our words against theirs so I doubt it would have much weight in a decision that has so much to do with ideology and fear. And the ones who already follow him, won't turn back now."

"Why do you think so?" asked Theo.

"Putting aside the fact that so far, of those who have betrayed him only Karkaroff has survived - and I've heard he is on the run - they have simply invested too much. Many of them have donated vast amounts of money. Many have tortured and killed for him. And they have been tortured themselves. They'll feel like all of it was for nothing if they change sides now."

"But they'll lose even more if he fails," said Harry. "If they change sides now, they might be able to stay out of Azkaban once he's gone."

"That's assuming that we win, though," said Theo. "And as much as I don't want to live in a world where those who aren't dead are ruled by a psychopath and have to celebrate Voldemort Day or something equally ridiculous, we can't know that we'll win."

Draco sighed. Even he was not completely certain they were going to win, and he was from the future. "I agree. And the worst case for any Death Eater in a world where we win is Azkaban. But if they betray him and he wins, they'll long for a punishment as sweet as Azkaban."

"But what about those who haven't joined him yet?" Theo wondered aloud. "If your story were the one everyone was reading in school instead of the Prophet? I'm sure if everyone knew that it was not an Auror who killed Cassius… If they knew Death Eaters aren't above killing their own, at least some would change their mind."

"An interesting idea."

"I'm sure Luna's dad would write about it in his paper if we asked him."

"If you can call that thing a paper," muttered Draco, and Harry glared at him. "Perhaps we can propose it at the next Order meeting?" He was not certain if the Quibbler was the right way to go but getting the true story out should not be impossible.

As they reached a lull in their conversation, Draco finally managed to gather the courage to change the topic and ask Theo what had constantly been at the back of his mind:

"How is Astoria?"

Theo looked at Draco with a furrowed brow. "I don't know what you've done, mate, but she's been a mess the few times I've seen her. She mostly stayed in her room. And Daphne is furious. If you hurt Astoria-"

Draco raised his hands in front of him, "I messed up, I know. Astoria and Daphne have every reason to be upset. I kept too many secrets for too long... I did not intend to hurt Astoria, quite the opposite, but I ended up hurting her anyhow. But I'll try to make it right." He had to. Perhaps he would be able to see her over the holidays. She had said in her letter that she and her sister were still going to fight the Dark Lord, after all.

Theo seemed to accept that. "I hope everything works out between the two of you. This… really isn't a time in which we should fight each other."

"It really isn't," agreed Draco.

After that, they talked mostly about more mundane things. Theo was the first to excuse himself. He had promised to talk to Sirius about everything that had been going on and it was already growing late.

Draco was just about to leave the kitchen as well, when Harry said, "Is the curse the reason for your fight?"

Draco sighed, sitting back down. "It's a part of it, yes."

"I think you should tell her."

"Tell her what?"

"About Valerian and Melinda."

Harry was, of course, right. He could not keep on lying to her and he could not make decisions for her. "I will…"

Harry nodded his head and Draco got up again. But before he reached the door, he turned around one last time. "I'm glad you know. This way, should anything happen to me…"

"I'll do what I can," promised Harry, and Draco left.

It had been a long day, but they were one step closer to defeating the Dark Lord, and a cure for Astoria seemed more palpable than ever.

TBC

I think that had I gotten this far with my story about a year ago, lots of stuff would be very different. BLM, Corona, the political situation in America and the world, etc have changed the way I see the world and how I view situations of conflict that are based on ideology. The ending of Harry Potter has always seemed like a happy ending to me. But now I feel like it is only just the beginning. The ideologies that started all of it are still there. No one is going to change their mind just because they were defeated in a war.

I feel like it is not just me, though. This is something that I've noticed in lots of stories on this website lately. A change in themes and resolutions. Perhaps we're at the beginning of a new literary era.

I think this chapter shows that the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has occupied my thoughts quite a bit. Theo says, "[...] can't stay neutral in a situation of injustice" which is of course stolen from this quote: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." I've seen it attributed to Ginsburg a lot on instagram which is why it came to me while writing but it was actually said by Desmond Tutu.

A great quote by Ginsburg would be: "Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you." You might have noticed that idea when they talk about getting their own version of the events out into the world.

Anyhow, I don't want to discuss politics with you guys. We are getting closer to the end of the story and while I feel there was a lot of talking and introspection in the last couple of chapters, that's going to change very soon. Lots of plot and action ahead.

By the way, I'm currently thinking about who will die and who will live. I feel like to capture the severity of a war-like situation and for "good-writing" purposes some people have to die, but then again I love happy endings and I'm pretty sure you guys do as well. You are, after all reading a time-travel fix-it fic. So, if you have any strong feelings on that, now would be the time to tell me.

As always, I'd love to here your thoughts. I wish you all a great week.