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justathoughtfulangel · 4 years ago

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The One That Came Back (Draco Malfoy Mini Series, Final Part)

Hi everyone! Here is the third and final part of my Draco Malfoy Mini Series, The One. If you’d like to see more details about the series as a whole and a summary of this part, you may do so here. If you’d like to read more about my OC, Amara Grimaldi, you can do so here.

PLEASE read parts one and two before you read this! You can find part one, The One Who Was Lost, here; you can find part two, The One That Got Away, here.

Word count: 4, 706

Please don’t hesitate to message me if you have any questions/concerns/comments.

Whenever you see “~~~”, I am transitioning to a new scene. If you see “~” instead, we’re in the same scene but different characters are being shown.

If you have a hard time following the scenes, please use this scenes list as a resource.

Happy Reading!

Amara sat in her office, overlooking the Hogwarts grounds from her window. Night was upon them, and most of the castle was asleep. Snow fell down gently, forming a soft blanket that glittered in the moonlight. Scrolls of parchment lay on her desk, already graded and ready to return to her 3rd-year students. She took a moment to look around absentmindedly, thinking of her journey here.

After the war, Amara took her friends to her family’s vacation home in Paris. She didn’t admit it at the time, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione understood that she didn’t have the strength to see her childhood home and not have her father there to welcome her. They stayed for a month or so, slowly healing from the wounds of the war. It was a break they all desperately needed.

Hermione and Amara both saw value in returning to Hogwarts for their last year of school, while Harry and Ron opted to begin working as Aurors immediately. The Ministry welcomed the heroes with open arms. After finishing her education, Hermione, too, joined the Ministry. For years, Amara wished to become a Potions professor at Hogwarts. She worked toward that dream by creating two of her own potions within the next two years, wanting to substantiate her skills beyond those written on her school transcript.

The first potion she created was Lamisquia, a potion that put Amara in a great deal of danger during its inception. Lamisquia was the vampire-equivalent to Wolfsbane, yet even stronger. It had the ability to return vampires to their human form. Testing it had been disastrous, but it was ultimately successful.

The next potion she made was Sirpotalis, an elixir to lengthen the lifetime of plants. Amara’s invention was greatly needed in the Wizarding World; it could fight food shortages and also nearly immortalize plants such as Gillyweed, Asphodel, Belladonna, and many other valuable ingredients often utilized in potions.

During this time, Ron finally admitted his feelings for Hermione. They were wed within the next year. Not long after, Harry and Ginny married as well. Life was slowly moving on for everyone. She took the time to meet her friends as often as she could; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amara often had lunch together at The Leaky Cauldron, The Three Broomsticks, and a variety of Muggle restaurants in London. It had taken some time, but the four were leading very peaceful lives.

Beyond her involvement in the Second Wizarding War - seeing herself commemorated in new History books and Chocolate Frog cards felt strange, to say the least - and her family name, Amara had created a name for herself, one she took pride in. After taking a well-deserved break, Amara took the place of Professor Slughorn when he retired.

But, even as everything was falling into place, Amara could never be truly happy. After all, one piece was missing. She hadn’t seen or heard from Draco since the War. Her thoughts were stained with the images of him walking away from her. She could still feel his hand slipping out of hers. The Malfoys occasionally appeared in The Daily Prophet; editorials and opinion pieces on the innocence of past supporters of Voldemort were popular with the average reader.

She had tried to move on, she really did. Amara had forced herself to go on some dates but gave up on the endeavor eventually. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy the company of these other men… they just weren’t him. He was a plague on her heart and mind that she couldn’t dispel.

Blinking away tears, Amara locked her office for the night and Flooed to her home. The peaceful silence in her childhood home brought her some solace. On the way up the stairs, she paused. Her eyes fell on the painting of her parents and her hand came up to clutch their rings, still dangling from the thin golden chain she never removed.

Even when they were both gone, Amara felt their love radiating from her memories and the colored canvas. It gave Amara the hope she desperately needed. Perhaps she wouldn’t have a love like theirs in her own life, but the memory of her parents’ love would be enough. It had to be. It was all she had left.

~~~

There she was, night after night, writhing in excruciating pain on the mahogany floor of his home. The pleased screeches of his aunt, no matter how loud, weren’t enough to drown out her screams. Each one stabbed his heart, leaving a searing burn there indefinitely. Crimson blood trickled down her forearm and colored the wood beneath her. He was shackled; his strength wasn’t enough to break free of his restraints and go to her. She shrieked louder. Her blood spilled faster. His chains squeezed him tighter.

Draco jolted awake as he did every morning. A thin layer of sweat painted his skin. His exhausted eyes, courtesy of months of tortuous nights, contrasted deeply with his alabaster skin. The sun was just beginning to rise, lighting up his small but luxurious London flat. In his weary stupor, Draco shoved his sheets aside, heading to the bathroom.

The face in the mirror was pale, sallow. Light had left Draco’s eyes long ago. He, quite likely, had forgotten how to smile. He had no reason to smile. Though Veratiserum had proven the true thoughts and actions of him and his family, there were scars Draco had to manage, scars that refused to heal. He tried to lose himself in the crowds of London. The large population of Muggles made no difference to Draco, not anymore. In fact, he rather appreciated it. Muggles did not view him and his family with disdain. To a Muggle he crossed on the street, he was no one.

Draco didn’t know what he was trying to find in his solitude. He just knew that solitude was the only thing he could bear. He had no desire to listen to his father speak of marrying him to Astoria Greengrass. His mother’s loving concern, while endearing, was nearly suffocating. Draco needed silence. While the silence brought him peace, it couldn’t stifle everything. It couldn’t stifle the haunting memories. It couldn’t stifle his hopelessness. It couldn’t stifle how much he ached for Amara.

Amara. The one person he wished to see most. Draco knew he didn’t deserve her forgiveness, but he knew he had it anyway. Somehow, she forgave him every time. It was something he did not understand. She had explained it once before; Amara said she forgave him because she knew him, the real him. But how could she? Draco no longer knew who he was, he hadn’t for quite some time. The version of him Amara always forgave no longer existed.

As Draco sat near the window, flipping through the Daily Prophet, an owl tapped against the glass, a letter bearing the Hogwarts Crest held in its beak….

~~~

Laughter and chatter rang throughout the Great Hall. Amara sat with Neville, as usual; both had grown closer since they began teaching. Just recently, Neville and Luna had broken up amicably and Amara was one of the few people Neville spoke freely to. Amara could see how much Neville loved her, but even he agreed that perhaps he and Luna were not meant to be. Just then, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and stood, the desserts disappearing before them.

Unlike other nights, however, Minerva did not just bid the students a good night. “Now that we’re all fed and ready to end another day at Hogwarts, I have one last announcement to make. Within the next week, a few old students will be returning to Hogwarts to come speak to you all about their experiences, sit in your classes, and have volunteered to answer your questions about life after school. They will be here next Monday and shall stay for a few days. Be prepared with some questions and be sure to learn from their experiences!”

Amara smiled to herself, wondering who she’d get to see again. Harry, Ron, and Hermione hadn’t mentioned anything to her, so it was possible they couldn’t make it. Her thoughts flitted to Draco once more, but the likelihood of him accepting such an invitation was low. She had no idea where he was. Amara scolded herself for indulging the thought, turning her attention back to Neville once more.

~~~

Three days later, Amara walked around her classroom, returning numerous rolls of parchment to her 6th-year students. Some of the lot had a hard time seeing her as a Professor, given that she once roamed these halls as a student alongside them. This never bothered Amara. She spoke to them as she would with acquaintances: somewhat formal, but not with an air of authority.

“Now, based on your essays, some of you don’t have a solid understanding of The Draught of Living Death, and that’s perfectly alright. It’s a dreadfully tricky potion, which is why I would like everyone to have a solid theoretical understanding of it before we attempt to brew it.” Amara could not get any further with her lesson, however; she was interrupted by someone she wasn’t expecting to see today.

“I dunno, I could brew it successfully in 6th year.” Harry sat in the back of the classroom, Ron right beside him. “Because you cheated, Harry.” Both men grinned widely, mirroring the expression on Amara’s face. “Stop crashing her lesson, you two.” Hermione stood behind Ron, her eyes shining. The murmurs of surprise from the students had died down. Not many had seen this group together since the end of the war. The three friendly intruders hushed then, allowing Amara to get back to her lesson, though without much success. They had set the classroom abuzz, and Professor Grimaldi could not stop smiling.

~~~

A grand feast had been prepared in the honor of the alumni attending. Amara had seen numerous familiar faces: the Patil twins, Justin Finch-Fetchley, Seamus Finnigan, Oliver Wood, the Greengrass sisters, Theodore Nott… But no Draco.

No matter how much she missed him, Amara’s mood could not be dampened by the memory of him tonight. Never did she imagine being back in the Great Hall with her dearest friends, laughing and sharing a meal together without a care in the world. Hogwarts was once again their home, bright and welcoming.

Neville, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together, regaling each other with stories and fond memories. The five were in the midst of discussing the Yule Ball, with Harry mentioning his pleasant surprise at seeing Neville come in very late into the night. Amara momentarily remembered her date: Dominic Murtaugh from Durmstrang. He was nice enough, but she had left him rather rudely following Ron’s jealous outburst. Not to mention, Draco had been staring daggers at the bloke all night.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw just a flash of a platinum blonde head; it disappeared far too quickly. Amara did not indulge the thought. She would not let herself hope. Certainly, her mind was only imagining it…

Draco arrived at Hogwarts hours ago and had managed to avoid most people – even the woman he wanted to see most. It was a large enough castle, and he knew where he could hide. He couldn’t stop himself. He had no reason to anymore. There was no threat, no more excuses. He would be the man Amara saw and loved.

Even so, when he saw her after years, just a hundred feet away, he paused. Draco would never want or love anyone more than he had ever loved Amara. But what if she no longer cared for him? She had every reason to stop. How many times had he hurt her? He had failed her over and over. Did Amara even deserve to have someone like him in her life? Draco had given her too much misery, and he had no desire to give her any more.

~~~

The next morning, Amara was setting up for her lesson with the Hufflepuff and Slytherin 1st year students. Eleanor Tregor, a muggleborn Slytherin student, walked to her seat timidly. Amara smiled warmly at the girl, who looked down at something and then back up at her professor. Her behavior was intriguing.

Finding some bravery, Eleanor approached Amara, showing her the Chocolate Frog card enclosed in her hand. “Excuse me Professor, is this you?”

AMARA GRIMALDI

Currently Potions Master at Hogwarts

One of the many heroes in the Second Wizarding War, Amara Grimaldi worked alongside the Chosen One and was instrumental to the downfall of the Dark Lord. Afterwards, she created two potions, Lamisquia and Sirpotalis, which have brought plentiful benefits to the magical world. By those who know her, she is described as unfailingly kind and collected in the face of adversity.

Amara’s smile was one of wisdom and humility. “Yes, Eleanor, that is me.” The shy student said nothing more, seemingly intimidated by her teacher now as she shuffled back to her desk. Amara moved away from her desk and kneeled beside her. “What’s the matter, dear?” Eleanor took a shaky breath, her soft brown eyes anxious and upset. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be good… something worth remembering. The other Slytherins make fun of me. They say I don’t belong in Slytherin because I’m not from their world.”

Part of Amara’s heart throbbed in memory. She knew someone who held such beliefs once, and she knew the pain of being on the receiving end of such insults. “Eleanor, you were Sorted to the Slytherin house because of who you are within and who you are meant to be. The Sorting Hat saw ambition and a desire to achieve within you. I know it will come to fruition someday. One of my dearest friends is a muggleborn, and she is a much greater witch than I am.”

Other students were filtering into the classroom now. Eleanor sniffled softly but then smiled. “Thank you, Professor Grimaldi.” Amara nodded and put a supportive hand on Eleanor’s shoulder as she stood, beginning the lesson soon after. A Hufflepuff student, Trevor Yannick, had taken a seat next to Eleanor; Amara could sense a friendship in the making.

Classes were in session. The halls of Hogwarts were rather quiet between hours. A few 5th-year students mulled about during their morning free period, but Draco remained out of view. He was far past the age of climbing into the trees near the Black Lake, and yet here he sat anyhow. The waters of the Lake were calm; Draco’s mind was anything but.

Amara was the same, and yet she was different. He had only seen her from a distance, seemingly consoling a student before the class began. The changes were mostly physical: her hair was longer, her eyes not as vivid. Draco could once see the light of the world encompassed in them. What had made it fizzle out?

Ambrosi had died, and he was not there for her. She traversed through dangerous terrains alone in her quests to pioneer her potions, and she had no one to come home to. Draco had lost her. With what right could he go to her and say he loves her?

“Malfoy?” The voice came from below him. Only someone who would know to look for him here would be able to find him. The person who spoke to him was Harry Potter. Draco descended as swiftly as he could, and the pair said nothing to each other for a few moments. The last time they had spoken, Harry had saved Draco’s life.

Harry’s mind was occupied with how wrong he had been about Malfoy. If it wasn’t for his help – and the artful deceit of his mother – the world as they knew it would be drastically divergent to what it was today.

“How are you, Potter?” Pleasantries were not needed, and they were perhaps excessive, but Draco could not think of anything else to say. Harry was not about to indulge them. “Have you spoken to Amara yet? Have you told her you came back?”

Draco’s answer was in his silence. “Look, Malfoy…” Harry had many things he would like to say, yet none seemed to come to his tongue. “I don’t know what holds you back, and I won’t tell you what to do. All I know is that Amara has never loved anyone the way she loves you. You haven’t lost her yet, but you can’t expect her to wait for you forever.”

Harry knew there was a great probability Amara would never love another but playing on Malfoy’s vulnerabilities was the best way to motivate him. He had learned that much of him after years of being his rival.

Draco said nothing. Harry had pointed out another thing Draco always had: not only her forgiveness but also her patience. He was silent for many more moments, and Harry, too, said nothing else. Then, he broke from his trance. “Thank you… Harry.”

Harry blinked in shock for a moment but then smiled with a little hesitation. He was like a brother to Amara; if Harry was in Amara’s life, he would be in Draco’s, too. “Go get her, Draco.”

~~~

The sights from the Astronomy Tower were breathtaking, as always. It was snowing once more, though Amara wasn’t very cold. She was remembering the last winter night she stood on this balcony. Draco had joined her those many years ago; it was one of their last real conversations.

Shaking her head as if to dispel the memory, Amara wrapped her shawl around herself, turning to leave. Perhaps she would Floo back to her home for the night. Yet, she wasn’t alone. “Amara…”

She was in front of him. Draco had seen her in his horrifying dreams every night: the angel he could never save from the pain and darkness. Here she was. It was all, and it was everything.

Amara lost her voice. She hadn’t simply been imagining him. He had been near her, and now he was here. How many letters had she written to him, graced with her tears? They had never been sent. Those tears – her pain – was not another burden Amara would place on him. She could not stop her tears now.

“You came back…” She would ask for nothing but him. Didn’t he know by now?

“Amara, I…” Draco could not say anything else before Amara ran into his arms. All her anger and hurt momentarily subsided. Then, his arms came around her, holding her close, and she was whole again.

The snow fell near them. The winter air swam around. Yet, neither was cold. This was warmth. This was hope. This was love… There was much to say, much to do, and much to face. Draco and Amara would do it together, and that was more than enough…

~~~

Amara never believed she would be here again. It was a place she had spent quite a bit of her childhood in; it was also the site of her darkest memory. Draco’s hand squeezed hers as they looked upon Malfoy Manor from the gate. “We don’t have to do this here, Amara. Just say the word.”

She took a deep breath, saying nothing as she looked up at him. Draco’s health and being had improved greatly: his skin was no longer pale, his eyes slowly beginning to fill with life and light. “No. I should go speak to her. Not the other way around.” Narcissa was always the closest thing Amara had to a mother in her life, even after Draco distanced himself from her in their school years.

They walked through the grand gates silently. Narcissa greeted them before they even entered the foyer. She knew Amara like any mother knew their child. She knew her likes and dislikes, her tendencies, her tone when she lied… Her suffering to see Amara in pain was no different than the pain that clutched Narcissa’s heart when she saw Draco’s. Narcissa moved to hold her daughter, not saying another word.

Perhaps it was the warmth of Narcissa’s embrace that ripped a sob past Amara’s lips. She had not truly allowed herself to feel the extent of her loss and her pain. Her love for Draco, though immensely powerful in its own right, was world’s away from how she adored his mother. “I’m so sorry, my dear. I am so sorry I couldn’t protect you. Please forgive me.”

Narcissa’s tear-filled eyes looked upon her son as she held Amara. She had been able to call her son away from the war but had left Amara there. Narcissa had not even contacted her at Draco’s request.

“Please don’t apologize, Narcissa… everything is fine now. Let’s not dwell on the past.” Draco had been silent, a non-participant in this overwhelming interaction up until then. He, too, joined the embrace, holding the two women he loved to the ends of this universe and back. The three stood there, reminding themselves they were all safe and sound… they were a family that would heal together.

~~~

A few months had passed. To everyone but Amara’s surprise, Draco too became an Auror alongside Harry and Ron; his firsthand knowledge of the Dark Arts proved to be a great asset.

Draco was now well accepted by Amara’s friends; Ronald had taken some convincing, but even he couldn’t deny the changes he saw in Draco. He seemed to be an entirely different man than the boy he knew in school.

Hogwarts was closed for the summer, and Amara had whisked Draco away to the Grimaldi summer home in Paris. The two went from room to room when they arrived, reminiscing about their childhood shenanigans here. At night, they sat in front of the fireplace. Tonight, Draco lay with his head in Amara’s lap, staring at the flames and watching them dance. This was happiness. This was peace. This was where he would want to stay forever.

Amara looked down upon him as Draco shifted to meet his eyes with hers. Her fingers caressed his hair soothingly, and his brushed against her cheek with a touch as light as a feather. “Do you remember… in sixth year… Slughorn’s classroom… and he had brought Amortentia?”

Amara smiled wistfully, her eyes entranced with his. She nodded before taking a glance around this very room. It contained the memory her Amortentia held. This was the place where she would always remember Draco. He was her Draco now, and he would always be, but it was here where the Draco of her childhood – her first love – would forever remain.

“Within it, I always smell our memories from here. The fireplace, the caramel and ice cream and hot chocolate from our vacations… and you.” Draco’s hand gently held her cheek, framing her face as he pulled her down into the sweetest of kisses, sweeter than any of their memories. It was here he had to ask Amara to stay by his side forever.

Not letting his lips leave hers, Draco sat up, bringing Amara into his lap. They were wrapped up in each other, hidden in their own corner of the world. “Amara…” He had so many words planned, but they all escaped him. Draco would speak the words that came from his heart. “Years ago, I ran into a little girl at a party in my home. She wore a purple dress, yet her shoes were stained as if she had just run through some fields. She became my best friend… and she was my first love.”

Amara’s heart was racing, and as she listened, tears began to well up in her eyes. “Only, I had failed her time and time again. I left her, but she always came back to me. I hurt her, and she always forgave me. One thing I have never forgotten… is that I promised to marry her one day. It was the only promise I had made to her, and so it is one I cannot break.”

“It was right here where I had made that oath to Amara Lucianna Grimaldi, and it is here I will see it to the end.” Draco had shed a few tears as well, and his voice was held back by the force of the love he felt. “Tonight, I will not ask her to marry me. I only intend to inform her I am keeping my promise. It is tonight that I make her a new promise… a promise to protect, love, and cherish her forever.”

Though he had asked no question, it was present in his eyes. Amara answered with a kiss, and Draco’s soul felt resurrected. Healed as if it had never been harmed. For now, he had his angel, and with her, he could conquer all trials. She was his strength. She was his love. She was his home.

~~~

Three years later, the Grimaldi-Malfoy Manor was filled with sunshine, smiles, and laughter. The tiny giggles of the newest member of the family, Scorpius Draco, echoed over the bathroom tiles as he splashed his hand against the water, wetting his father’s face. He had graced the lives of his parents with his arrival nearly one year ago, and it was as if both had been revived. “Dada!”

Draco laughed as well, wiping the water from his eyes. Though both had aged some, Amara still looked at him the way she always did. Her heart just about melted when she saw him with their son. Draco picked Scorpius up, blowing a raspberry on his tummy before wrapping him up in a towel and peppering kisses all over his face. Scorpius’s giggles transitioned into happy but tired coos as he hugged his father’s neck as best as he could.

His eyelids began to droop then, as if right on schedule. Soon enough, Draco had him ready for bed while his mother got him a bottle. Amara sat in the rocking chair; Scorpius nuzzled into her chest as he drank, his eyes barely open. Tucking him in was always the hardest part, simply because neither parent would want to let him go, but let him go they did with the promise of each other and a new day together as he drifted off to the land of the sweetest dreams…

~~~

Twenty-one years later, the family was now one of five. Scorpius’s younger sister, Aelia, was just like their mother, even more so when the third child came along. Perseus was a troublemaker, and whenever he got hurt, he ran to his loving elder sister who took care of him just as Amara did.

On this warm spring afternoon, Amara and Draco sat with their friends – extended family, really, for they were Aunt Amara and Uncle Draco without being related by blood – enjoying tea as the children all ran around the large yard behind their home. Draco, Ron, and Harry were having some discussion about work, as usual. The women were used to this and were in conversation about their own lives.

Amara was easily the favorite Professor at Hogwarts, or so Rose reported. Within the last year, she had taken Professor Flitwick’s post as Head of Ravenclaw House after his retirement. Hermione made leaps and bounds in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, recognized for her outstanding work; there was even talk of her taking the position for Minister of Magic. Ginny had retired from the Holyhead Harpies just recently and was now a Sports Editor for The Daily Prophet.

Laughter and smiles could be seen everywhere. Lily and Aelia had managed to cover to discover some wildflowers and were busy braiding them into each other’s hair. From the corner of her eye, Amara noticed Albus and Scorpius slink off towards the brook just a ways away. They reminded her an awful lot of her and Draco when they were young. Rose sat on the edge of the fountain with a book, enjoying the sunshine and pleasant wind as she read aloud to Perseus. Hugo and James were flying around on their broomsticks, both of their mothers asking them to “Slow down!” at the same time.

As Harry once put it, all was well.

~~~

This completes my Draco Malfoy mini series. I cannot tell you how many times I cried while imagining my beloved characters finally getting their happy endings. As always, feel free to reach out to me on here. Your reviews and reads mean the world to me, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until next time, JustAThoughtfulAngel <3

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justathoughtfulangel · 5 years ago

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The One Who Was Lost (Draco Malfoy Mini Series, Part One)

Hiya! This is the first part of my Draco Malfoy mini series, The One. If you’d like to see more details about the series as a whole and a summary of this part or the parts to come, you can do so here. If you’d like to read more about my OC, Amara Grimaldi, you can do so here.

Word count: 6,868

People who would like to be tagged: @proxyeccoslytherin

Please don’t hesitate to message me if you have any questions/comments/concerns or if you’d like to be tagged whenever I post a new part :)

Whenever you see “~~~”, I’m transitioning to a different scene. If you see “~” instead, we’re in the same scene but different characters are being shown.

It was midwinter, but Amara wasn’t very cold. She was rather lost in her thoughts to care about the cold anyhow. She didn’t realize how quickly her life had changed. Just a few years ago, the castle was her home away from home, filling her life with light and hope for her future. Now, Hogwarts was dark, lonely, and… no longer welcoming like home. The cool air began to sting Amara’s face, bringing her back to the real world. Her hands came up from the balcony to hug her cloak around her body tightly. As she turned to leave, she saw she wasn’t alone. “Draco?”

Draco couldn’t find it in him to sneer at her, not this time. No matter his cruelty or harshness, Amara seemed to see right through him. They hadn’t exchanged many words in their time at this school, but Amara knew how he was feeling without him saying anything at all. Perhaps it was a gift of hers, or perhaps the past they shared had created an unbreakable bond between them.

“Hello, Amara.” Amara smiled as she stepped away from the balcony of the Astronomy Tower; Draco’s face remained passive, but the kindness radiating from Amara was something he desperately needed. Amara could sense how much Draco had changed. He no longer took the time to tease younger students, make comments about the blood status of others, or even to joke around with his friends. As they grew up, Amara was one of the first to realize that Draco only did these things out of his loneliness, out of his desire to be loved and wanted like Harry was everywhere he went. Other things he said or did was simply because he hadn’t learned any better. He had the views of his father shoved down his throat, and they changed him from the inside out.

Draco was just born on the wrong side of it all. Come to think of it, Amara’s childhood environment couldn’t have differed too greatly from Draco’s. They were both from pureblood, wealthy families whose ancestry could be traced back for eons. They were both the only child their parents had. They knew each other before Hogwarts, having been thrown into the same social settings on countless occasions. They may have been different on the outside, but Amara knew Draco when he was much younger, sweeter, and kinder. She knew that Draco, the real Draco, was hiding. He was too afraid of being himself. Draco feared that he wouldn’t survive in this world, especially without Amara by his side.

Having sensed that they had settled into an uncomfortable silence, Amara stepped aside and began to make her way back to Ravenclaw Tower. “I was just leaving. Goodnight, Draco.” Brushing some snow off of her cloak, she began to step past Draco and down the staircase, but he very gently grabbed her wrist as she did. His face was anyone but Amara wouldn’t have been able to read. Except for his eyes: they always gave him away. Somewhat perplexed and also intrigued, Amara questioned him. “What is it?”

Draco hastily dropped her wrist. He, too, remembered the days when they spent hours together... when everything was easier. Once upon a time, Draco couldn’t imagine a life where Amara wasn’t his dearest friend. She hadn’t been in years, and Draco knew it was his fault. Yet, she was the only one he could trust entirely, even after all this time. “You should have given up on me a while ago. I’ve been horrible to you. To Potter, Granger, and Weasley. Why haven’t you stopped being so kind to me?”

Amara smiled sadly, reaching for Draco’s hand and giving it a soft squeeze. “Because I know you.” Without saying anything else, she turned away and began descending the winding staircase. She had to turn away before he saw the tears welling in her eyes. She did know him. She saw how he no longer ate well, his suits began to fall loosely around him, and the bags under his eyes were like bruises. Amara wanted to be there for him, but he had made it clear he didn’t want her to be long ago. That didn’t mean she would stop caring about him. Not now, not ever.

Draco watched her walk away, her steps echoing in the silence around him. He cursed his childish decision to push her away and hit the balcony in frustration once Amara was out of earshot. His envy of Harry Potter and the pressures his father put on him had driven him to make the worst decision of his life. Draco’s eyes stared blankly out into the frigid night, ignoring the snowflakes as they settled on his dark suit. Nothing could compare to the cold building inside him, the cold that was threatening to destroy him...

~~~

Amara and Hermione stood in Slughorn’s classroom. It seemed to let in more light than Snape’s did, and Slughorn seemed welcoming, albeit a tad strange. He lifted the lid of one of his pots gingerly, waving his hand toward the class to let the pink fumes waft towards them.

Draco stood lazily, not quite paying attention. Granger answered the professor’s questions as usual, and Amara added on to those responses. Before he could zone out any further, he straightened up and his eyes moved over to Amara. She was still across the room from him, but he could smell the light, floral scent of her perfume. He could smell a crackling fireplace, not unlike the one they sat by in the Grimaldi Manor. Above all, he smelled hot chocolate with cinnamon, something Amara adored even on blistering summer nights. He remembered opting for ice creams instead, and they ended up making a concoction of the two every time.

“That’s a perfect answer, Miss. Grimaldi and Miss. Granger. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Enlighten us, Amara. What do you smell in this potion?” Amara closed her eyes and took a deep breath, more so to steady herself. She had brewed Amortentia whilst practicing over the summer; she knew exactly what it smelled like to her long before now.

“I smell a warm, spicy cologne… like ginger and sandalwood. I smell a hearth and its smoke…. I smell vanilla ice cream, caramel, and chocolate…” Letting herself get lost in the scent once more, Amara opened her eyes and shook her head clear soon enough. Draco swallowed hard, his eyes falling to the floor. Amara also avoided his gaze. Did he smell their memories in the potion like she did?

“How unique, Miss. Grimaldi. Today, I’ll have you brewing the Draught of Living Death. It’s desperately tricky and disastrous should you make a mistake. In all my years, I’ve only had one student brew it successfully. Whoever can make the best batch shall win this… Felix Felicis.”

The small golden vial glimmered in Slughorn’s fingers. “One sip, and you shall find that you’ll succeed in any endeavor.” Out of the corner of her eye, Amara saw Draco glance up, his eyes transfixed on the vial. “You have one hour.”

~~~

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amara were lounging in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. “Amara,” Ron began, “ you spend most of your time here with us. Are you sure you don’t want to ask Dumbledore to transfer you to Gryffindor?” She laughed and shook her head no. “I’m quite content with being in Ravenclaw, Ron. You three just need me around, so I stay here.” Hermione smiled and came up to the couch where Amara was sitting to lean against her; Amara quickly wrapped her arms around Hermione’s shoulders. “That we do, Amara. That we do.”

“Besides… being in Ravenclaw, having Potions be my best subject… Those are things that connect me to my mother. I wouldn’t want to ever let go of them.” At this, Harry glanced up. Amara was the only one who understood the pain of losing a parent; she was the only one Harry could talk to about it. He gave her a soft smile, finally tearing his eyes away from the ratty Potions textbook.

“Merlin, Harry. How DID you manage to brew a potion better than Amara’s today?” Amara raised her eyebrows at this. “I’ve been curious about that as well. The instructions said to use the juice of twelve Sopophorous beans. How did you know to use thirteen instead?”

At this, Harry began to fidget in place. Amara lunged forward from the couch and grabbed the old copy of Advanced Potions Making out of his hands, flipping through it and reading all of the edits and notes. “This book belongs to the Half-Blood Prince. Who’s the Half-Blood Prince?”

~~~

“Why is it that whenever anything happens, it’s always you four?” Professor McGonagall questioned. Amara almost laughed. “Believe me, Professor. I’ve been asking myself the same question for six years.” Ron was silenced by Professor Snape entering. He levitated the necklace and they all watched it turn in the air. “I think… Miss. Bell is very lucky to be alive.”

Harry blurted, “It was Malfoy,” without thinking. Snape lowered the necklace back to the case and turned towards him. “That is a very serious accusation. Do you have any proof?” Amara sighed internally and waited for Harry to try to get out of this one. “I just know.” Hermione glanced at Amara from the corner of her eye and both girls were very obviously biting their tongues. “You just… know? How wonderful it must be to be you, Potter… The Chosen One.”

~~~

Amara was glad that Harry had asked her to accompany him to Slughorn’s Christmas celebration. Both of them were dreading asking others until Harry suggested they attend together as friends. They were greatly amused by Hermione’s attempts to dodge Cormac McLaggen and were having a genuinely wonderful time. When Professor Snape relayed Professor Dumbledore’s message of absence to Harry, she lingered close by, conversing with Neville and making sure he wasn’t feeling lonely either.

Harry and Amara were considering calling it a night and heading back to their dormitories when Filch dragged Draco Malfoy in by the collar. “Found this one lurking nearby. He claims he was invited.” Before Draco could say anything, Amara immediately stepped forward. “There you are, Draco! He’s my date Professor Slughorn, he’s just running VERY late.” Professor Slughorn looks at Harry, shifts to look lingeringly at Draco, and then settles his gaze on Amara. “Very well Amara. Happy Christmas, my boy.”

Draco manages a smile that much more resembles a grimace, while Harry glares towards Draco and questions Amara with his eyes from across the room. She mouths, “I’ll explain later” to Harry before grabbing Draco’s hand and pulling him to the side. Inside of expressing the hint of gratitude he was feeling, he stifled it. It was easier to hide under the false sanctuary harsh words provided. “Why did you do that? I didn’t need your help, Grimaldi.”

Amara winces internally but only smiles externally, a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I just wanted you to stay out of detention, Draco. My mistake. Anyhow…” Her voice trails off as Draco’s voice rings in her mind. He had never called Amara by her last name, not even in the six years since their relationship had become strained. “Do whatever you need to do here. I was just about to leave. Goodnight.”

Draco doesn’t stop her this time. He watches her walk over to Potter who leaves the party along with her, not before glancing back to glare in his direction though. Before Draco can beat himself up over how awful he was to the only person he trusted besides his mother, Professor Snape grabs Draco by the arm and pulls him out into the hallway roughly...

By the time Amara and Harry reach the corridor where they part ways to go to their separate common rooms, Amara walks with Harry. “I think I’ll wait for Hermione in her room. I want to talk to her about this.” Harry opens his mouth and closes it again. “Spit it out, Harry.”

Harry sighs softly, stopping in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. “Amara… why? You know as well as I do that Draco Malfoy is most likely a Death Eater. Then why would you help him? Why would you help someone who would kill without flinching?”

This time, Amara winces visibly. “Harry, trust me. Draco is not like that. You may not trust him… but you trust me, don’t you?” Her breath hitches in her throat as it threatens to close up with emotions, making it harder to keep speaking. “Has it ever occurred to you that Draco may not have had a choice in these things? Have you considered that Draco is paying for the sins and mistakes of his father?

“I knew who Draco was before all of this. Before everything went to hell. I know the true Draco is in there somewhere… One day, Harry, you’ll see the same Draco I do.” With that, Amara mutters the Gryffindor common room’s password and enters, wordlessly making her way to the girl’s dormitories.

Harry stands outside the door for a moment longer, thinking over Amara’s words before somewhat ignoring them. Amara was too kind; she couldn’t recognize the darkness in people because she saw good in even the most despicable human beings. It annoyed him (along with Ron and Hermione) at times. Yet… there had never been one time when Amara had misjudged someone in their lives. Was it possible that she was right again?

~~~

Amara had a splitting headache. Ron and Hermione were no longer talking to each other since Lavender jumped on Ron after the Quidditch match. Harry was trying to prove Draco was a Death Eater. She just wanted to sleep. Amara and Harry hadn’t discussed Draco any further; she no longer had the energy to dissuade him. She didn’t exactly know how she would react if Draco was truly a Death Eater, all she knew is that she would still love him the same.

She had always known she loved him. Even when he began ignoring her letters in first year. Even after they spent months without seeing each other across the crowded corridors of the castle. Amara had loved Draco since they were children; the way Amara loved… it would never go away. Draco probably didn’t remember his childhood promise to marry Amara one day, but she did. It had been reduced to a memory and nothing more, but it was a memory she’d cherish forever.

Hermione was the one who understood Amara the most, despite Draco’s cruelty to her. She saw reason before being carried away by emotions, and Amara appreciated that greatly. Hermione saw Draco through Amara’s eyes simply because she stopped to listen to the truth about Draco’s past.

As Amara excused herself, Hermione asked if she wanted her to come with. Amara smiled gratefully and shook her head, giving Hermione a quick hug before heading to the Room of Requirement. She was planning on having it take the form of her bedroom at home, needing its comforts. Hogwarts didn’t feel like home… not like this.

As she turned the corner, she made out a head of platinum blond hair entering the Room of Requirement. Draco had paused momentarily before he entered, the doors promptly disappearing behind him.

Amara stopped where she stood, weighing the options before her. She knew she needed to help Draco, but she didn’t know how. She didn’t even know if she should. This was a decision she couldn’t make on her own. She was going to write to her most trusted confidant above her friends… her father.

Dear Dad,

I hope you’re safe. I know I’m not home to make sure you’re taking care of your health, so please do so on my behalf. Things must be immensely hectic with the Order these days, Daddy; I’m so proud of you. I hope whatever you’re doing isn’t too dangerous.

While I’m always worried for you, I’m also worried for Draco. Since his father was imprisoned… he’s changed. This change is different from the ones I’ve mentioned before. When he stopped being my friend, I knew that was his front: the facade he had up. Now… even that has vanished. I can see that Draco doesn’t sleep or eat properly, and he won’t let me or anyone help him.

You know I care for him, Daddy. I can’t watch him like this and let him suffer alone. I want to help him, but how? I don’t want to become the catalyst to the storm brewing inside him… I don’t want to bring about his destruction.

Please tell me what I should do. I love you and trust only your opinion on this. You know me and you know Draco so well… help me, please.

Your loving daughter,

Amara

Amara didn’t comprehend just how strongly she was feeling about this until she wrote it out in the letter to her father. The tip of her quill nearly snapped in her grip and the parchment crinkled harshly as she clutched it. As she signed her name and let go of her letter, Amara’s body slumped forward onto the desk. Her father’s response would bring her peace; his wisdom always did.

Ambrosi Grimaldi had just returned home after a few days. He, along with other members of the Order, were bringing families in danger of persecution to safehouses. As Ambrosi sat down with a cup of tea, his daughter’s owl, Artemis, swooped in and dropped a letter onto his lap.

He soothingly stroked Artemis with one hand as he held Amara’s letter with the other. As he read it, a smile formed on his face. The similarities between Amara and Lucianna were astounding. She was just like her. Ambrosi could tell how Amara was feeling and by the telltale crinkles in the parchment. Quickly getting some leftover bread for Artemis to munch on, Ambrosi wrote back to her, encouraging her as much as he could.

A few days passed before Amara received his response. As soon as Artemis dropped the letter near her plate at breakfast, she opened it eagerly, reading its contents within seconds.

My dear daughter,

I’m taking care of myself, darling girl. I promise. One day, you won’t have to worry about my safety. We’ll be safe, and this will all be over. Unfortunately, just this once, I cannot tell you what my current mission is (in case this letter falls into the wrong hands). Trust me when I say that I am safe. No harm will befall me. I’m working with Moony and we’re looking out for each other.

I often think of Draco too, Amara. His life must have turned to utter chaos after Voldemort’s return. Now, with Lucius in Azkaban… he’s become the man of the house at 16. I would not be surprised if he has been forced to become a Death Eater. However, I believe you can save him. Dumbledore can keep him safe. Convince him to go to Dumbledore for help. I don’t think he’ll listen to anyone but you.

Angel, you could never bring about someone’s destruction. If anything, you may be what he needs. As you’ve told me before, you know him better than anyone. Trust yourself and believe in your goodness as I do. He may push you away at first, but he needs you. You are the light he needs in these dark times. You will be his light just like you are mine.

Above all, take pride in the love you give. Before you were born, I was a simple man who loved his wife. After you were born and we lost your mother, I was a hero in your eyes but felt like a failure myself. No one taught you how to love, yet you did so wholly… so purely. This ability of yours is one you inherited from your mother. Your love saved me in the darkest time of my life, as hers did once. Your love can save all. Remember that.

Always here for you,

Dad

Her father knew exactly what to say, exactly what she needed to hear. Running her fingers over the words “Always here for you” once, Amara folded up the letter and headed to the Room of Requirement. If Draco wanted to put walls up, she would bring them down.

~~~

Draco held the bird in his hand gently, running the tip of his finger across its feathers. He had managed to get an apple to return whole, but he didn’t know if a living thing would fare just as well. He set the bird into the cabinet, closing the door and ignoring its chirps as they became more frantic. “Harmonia Nectere Passus.” He barely whispered the incantation but opened the door to find it was gone.

Amara was in front of Room of Requirement, pacing past the entrance a few times. “I want to enter the room that Draco Malfoy is in.” She whispered these words both out loud and in her mind, pausing when the doors revealed themselves. She took a deep breath before she walked in, searching for Draco and not paying attention to the doors disappearing behind her.

When Draco called the bird back, he heard no chirping. His hands shook as he reached for the door. When he opened it, he inhaled sharply. The bird lay on the dark wood lifelessly, its neck snapped and resting at an unnatural angle. He picked it up, seeing it laying on the palm of his hand. One of Draco’s tears slid down his cheek and fell onto the bird’s tiny body.

He broke. It was too much. Draco had killed this precious thing. How many more would he have to destroy? How long before this absolute cold consumed him? He was lost. He didn’t know who he was anymore.

Amara heard soft sobs coming from her left and rushed over to them, pausing when she saw Draco and the dead bird in his palm. Amara caught Draco before he fell to his knees. The cabinet loomed above them threateningly. Draco set the bird down before throwing his arms around Amara and clinging to her for dear life. Her heart thudded painfully as his anguish echoed against every object around them. “Amara... I can’t… I don’t… I’m so sorry…”

She held Draco close and let him cry into her neck. Her hand came up to smooth his hair comfortingly. “Shhh, I know. It’ll be okay Draco. I promise.” As she said these words, Amara knew maintaining such a promise would bring her to hell and back; it may be the one promise she made that she wouldn’t be able to uphold. She would try her hardest though. For him, always.

~~~

“Stop it, Ron, you’re making it snow!” Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amara sat at the Ravenclaw table. Ron repeatedly looked up to glance at Lavender, who seemed to be digging a fork into the table. “How did I break up with her?” Harry, Amara, and Hermione shared a look. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be rid of her. It’s just… she seems a bit put out.” Hermione cleared her throat. “When you were in the hospital wing, you… talked. I don’t believe it was a particularly long conversation.”

Ron pondered over it and laughed awkwardly. “I do remember something. But it can’t be… I must’ve been completely boggled.” Hermione barely veiled the disappointment in her voice. “Right…. Boggled.” As Amara reached into her bookbag, her eyes fell to the doors of the Great Hall. “Harry… it’s Katie Bell.” Harry immediately shot up and went to go talk to her. Amara began gathering her things and was about to leave when she saw Draco enter. His face went white as he saw Katie speaking with Harry.

The air seemed to have thinned around him. Draco immediately turned around and all but ran out of the Great Hall, his hand anxiously tugging at his tie.

He tried to breathe evenly but he couldn’t. Bursting into the deserted bathroom, he stared into the mirror in front of him. Draco couldn’t recognize his reflection. The tears wracked through his body. He clung to the cool porcelain sinks, letting them support weight entirely.

Harry had followed Draco, but he didn’t realize Amara had followed him from a distance. The sound of Malfoy’s pained whimpers momentarily rooted Harry to the ground. “You hexed her, didn’t you? Katie.” Something in Draco snapped. All of the guilt, anger, dread, and frustration he was feeling bubbled up and boiled over. Without thinking about it, Draco whipped around and cast “Stupefy!” in Harry’s direction, which Harry blocked and countered seamlessly.

Amara stayed outside of the bathroom, but she could hear the fighting. She didn’t want to go in. If she did she’d be forced to side with one of them. She couldn’t betray Harry’s trust in their friendship; she couldn’t betray the love she felt for Draco. Yet, she didn’t have to make a decision. It was made for her. When Harry shouted, “SECTUMSEMPRA!” she burst into the bathroom to see deep gashes forming on Draco’s body, the clear water being overtaken by maroon.

Rushing to his side, Amara had her wand in her hand, though it was of no use to her. She didn’t know how to save him. “Amara…” Draco looked up into her frantic but loving eyes. “I-I lo-” Before he could tell her, Professor Snape entered to see what had happened just as Draco’s airway closed up with a rush of blood; his eyes drifted close from the blood loss. Amara stood up wordlessly. She didn’t trust her voice right now. Professor Snape ordered them to leave as he muttered a song-like incantation that drew the blood back into Draco’s body, the wounds closing up one by one.

Harry felt guilty above all. He knew the spell was labeled for use on enemies, but he had no idea just how powerful it was. It was Harry’s first time using such dark magic. Amara’s reaction made things so much worse. They exited the bathroom silently, neither knowing what to say. “Amara, I-”

Amara closed her eyes in pain. The image of Draco lying in a pool of his blood was not leaving her mind. “Get rid of it, Harry. The book. Today.” She walked towards the Hospital Wing, wanting to be there when Draco was brought up. “I’ll be in the Hospital Wing.” Harry watched Amara walk away, not knowing of anything he could say to make it better. “I’m sorry.”

Amara froze in her steps. An apology seemed so unbelievably inconsequential. Draco almost lost his life. Yet, Amara knew Harry as well as she knew herself; Harry would not have used such a spell if he knew what it truly did. She turned around to smile as reassuringly as she could. “I know you are, Harry. I’m not angry with you. I just… someone should be by his side right now.”

Harry didn’t know what to think. Just a few weeks ago, Harry had considered Amara’s kindness to be her naivety. Today, he realized it wasn’t that. Not at all. Harry admired Amara’s ability to be able to calm others around her even when she may have been breaking on the inside. Whenever he lashed out, Amara was the one who wouldn’t leave him alone, no matter how much he wanted to be rid of her at that moment. It took immense strength to love someone when they did not return that love. Harry knew Draco and Amara had been friends in their childhood; he knew Amara couldn’t walk away from him.

“Oh, and Harry.” Amara came back towards him, making sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. “To get the memory from Slughorn, it sounds like you need some luck. Exactly like the luck Ron thought he had his first match as Keeper.” With that, Amara turned to head up to the Hospital Wing, waiting by Draco’s bedside until he woke.

~~~

Draco didn’t wake until the next day, and Amara had sat by his bedside. She hadn’t been able to sleep all night, but she had dozed off by the time Draco woke up. It must have been around one in the afternoon when Draco’s open eyes fell to Amara sleeping in a chair beside his bed, her knees hugged to her chest and her disheveled hair framing her beautiful face. He didn’t want to wake her, but when Draco sat up and groaned softly to reach for some water, Amara’s eyes fluttered open.

She was fully awake within seconds and very gently brought Draco back to the bed, pouring him a glass of water and handing it to him silently. Draco took a deep drink, his eyes not leaving her. Amara sat back down, neither of them saying anything, just looking at each other. So much was being said in the silence. They didn’t need words to speak volumes.

“How are you feeling, Draco?” It was the first question that came to Amara’s mind, but it was possibly the most complicated for Draco to answer. Physically, he was a little achy but alright otherwise. Mentally, his mind was racing with thoughts of Amara and the thoughts he didn’t want to pay any attention to: the thoughts reminding him of the task he had to complete tonight. Emotionally, the numbness he had been feeling had been assuaged momentarily, but he knew it was waiting to take over him the second Amara walked away.

Draco didn’t know how to answer, so he asked her a question instead. “How long have you been here?” Amara took his glass from him and set it on the table, sitting on the bed next to him. “Since yesterday. You’ve been sleeping for around 20 hours.” While Amara had noticed Draco’s health deteriorating weeks ago, Draco saw Amara clearly for the first time tonight. She, too, had bags under her eyes that mirrored Draco’s. She had also lost some weight, not being able to eat well while being anxious about Draco.

“And did you sleep?” Amara shook her head, extremely grateful to the curtains surrounding Draco’s bed, courtesy of Professor Snape. “Just a bit. I wanted to stay up in case you woke up.” Draco clenched his fist by his side, wanting to embrace her but holding himself back. “Why?”

“Because I love you.” It was the first time Amara had said the words aloud in a long time. It was the first time Draco heard those words from anyone besides his mother. He hardened, his face turning to stone. “Don’t.” He couldn’t feel. It would ruin him. He would fail, and he couldn’t fail. Too much was at stake.

When Draco felt the blood draining from his body, he would have welcomed death. He saw Amara and wanted to tell her he loved her before he was gone forever, but he was saved. If her face was the last he saw, he would have left this world happily.

Amara was more hurt than she would admit by this reaction, but she didn’t let it show. “Draco, you get to decide whether you love me or not, not if I love you.” She stood up, running a hand through her long locks. “I’ve loved you since we were kids, Draco. It may mean nothing to you, but you should know.” Draco didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t exactly surprised by this; he knew she loved with unwavering resilience. How she did it was a mystery, but it was her greatest strength.

Draco was lost, and he didn’t want her to get lost with him. She just couldn’t love a monster like him. His greatest strength was pushing people away, and that’s what he tried to do. He placed a fake sneer on his face and spit venomous lies out through his teeth. “That’s pathetic, Amara. I haven’t wanted you in my life for years. Get out, and leave me be. I don’t love you, not even a bit.” Amara smiled sadly, infuriating Draco.

“You’re lying, Draco Malfoy. To me and to yourself.” His eyes had grown dull and almost lifeless, but when he looked at Amara, she saw a spark in them. It was the smallest of flames, desperate to shine… desperate to be saved. Draco scoffed, but his act was slipping through his fingers. He resorted to telling Amara one thing he wished she never found out. Draco’s pale fingers curled around his dark sleeve and tugged it up harshly, revealing the Dark Mark imprinted into his skin.

“Do you still love me, Amara?” Bringing his voice to a whisper and casting Muffliato quickly, he covered the Mark and growled angrily. He wasn’t angry at her; he was angry with himself. “I cursed Katie Bell. I was the one who poisoned the bottle of mead which put Weasley in the Hospital Wing. I’ve been mending the cabinet to… do something much worse.” Here, his voice faltered. Even when he was trying to push Amara away, he couldn’t tell her he had to murder a man she looked up to. He couldn’t tell her that he would be bringing Death Eaters into the castle, not the castle that was like home to her.

“So, I ask again. Do you still love me?” Amara took a long, deep breath. “Yes.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I love you because you have no choice in these matters, Draco. Something is forcing you to do this, likely the love you have for your mother. I love you because even though you bear Voldemort’s mark, it is not one you would have willingly taken.” She stood up to leave. “I will always love you, Draco. Because I know you. You deserve to be loved.”

With that, Amara headed out of the Hospital Wing, tears streaming down her face unabashedly. She broke out into a run, barely avoiding people in the halls. Her feet thudded to a halt in front of the Gryffindor common room and she entered quickly. “Where’s Harry?” Ron and Hermione shot up from the couch. “Amara?” “What’s wrong?” “Are you hurt?” “Why are you crying?” They both asked her question after question; Amara wasn’t sure who asked what.

“Harry’s gone to search for a Horcrux with Professor Dumbledore.” Hermione whispered to her, bringing Amara to the couch. Amara dried her tears. “Something will be happening. I don’t know what… but something terrible will happen. And it’ll be soon.”

Ron and Hermione looked at each other wordlessly while Amara hugged her knees to her chest once more, resting her forehead on them. She felt like a failure. She hadn’t been able to convince Draco to go to Dumbledore for help. She never had the chance to. Even if she had… Draco wouldn’t have listened to her. His self-loathing had grown so unbelievably much. It killed her from the inside out. How could he hate himself so?

“What do we need to do, Amara?” Ron shifted his weight awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. “I don’t know, Ron. I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Draco stared up at the ceiling of the Hospital Wing. Amara’s last words to him ran through his mind like a song on repeat. She loved him when she shouldn’t have. It would have been easier if she hated him, if she yelled at him. Her acceptance was threatening to save him. But he wasn’t worth saving. He wasn’t deserving of her love, no matter what she thought.

~~~

“Harry, no matter what happens or what you see tonight, promise me that you will stay below. Promise me that you’ll stay hidden.” Professor Dumbledore’s voice was calm as always, but this time there was a slight edge to it. What it was, Harry didn’t understand.

Harry was about to hesitate but he heard the sound of a door shutting closed. “Trust me.” Harry nodded and hid below just as Professor Dumbledore asked. He watched Malfoy walk in. Within moments, Harry’s suspicions were confirmed; Malfoy had disarmed Professor Dumbledore. He admitted to everything.

“Draco… Years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you.” Malfoy was crying, his hand visibly shaking. “I don’t want your help! Don’t you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you. Or he’s going to kill my mother. He’s going to kill…” Draco couldn’t finish his sentence. Dumbledore was the second person wanting to save him, and it was too much for him. Tears streamed down his face relentlessly, his voice nearly garbled by the emotions.

“Amara.” Draco’s wand almost slipped from his hand at the mention of her name. He made no move to confirm it, but both Dumbledore and Harry understood. “She would want you to hide, Draco. She would want you to save yourself.” Draco began to lower his wand. “I know that! But I can’t. Saving myself would only bring destruction to her. To my mother.” Before Draco could say anything else, other Death Eaters burst into the Astronomy Tower, forcing Draco to straighten his wand again.

Harry was tempted to go up and to protect Dumbledore, but he had promised. He couldn’t break that promise. From behind him, Snape showed up and pressed a finger to his lips, gesturing for him to be silent....

Amara was worried. She began to make her way to Dumbledore’s office but heard a commotion from within the Great Hall. She froze in her steps when she heard Bellatrix’s cackle. “You coward!”

Harry’s voice broke through even the shattering glass as he ran after Snape. Amara followed it to see Harry casting curses at him, which Snape only deflected. “He trusted you! He trusted you, and you killed him!” The true meaning of Harry’s words didn’t register in Amara’s mind until she saw the tear stains on Draco’s face from a distance, illuminated by the fire on Hagrid’s hut.

Dumbledore was dead. Amara joined Harry in throwing random spells at Snape, faltering slightly. Even in the darkness, the pain in Draco’s eyes shone brightly. Snape ordered him to run, but Draco looked at Amara for just a bit longer before listening to him, wanting to show her he wasn’t the one who killed Dumbledore. He couldn’t do it. Amara nodded very slightly, before wrapping her arms around Harry, trying to pull him back. When she looked up again, Draco was gone.

“Sectumsempra!” Snape deflected one last spell before he finally snapped. “You dare use my OWN spell against me?” Amara stepped in front of Harry, making sure Snape couldn’t hurt him. He ignored her, glaring directly at him. “I am the Half-Blood Prince.”

~~~

The Dark Mark loomed above them all while Harry fell to his knees in front of Dumbledore’s body. Ginny went to hold him while he sobbed. Amara took a silent moment to look around. Hogwarts had stopped feeling like a home to her a few years ago, but it had never felt unsafe. Hellfire was coming, and it was going to consume all.

Amara stood near her father, who had arrived with some other members from the Order. He had his arm around her and had silent tears streaming down his face. Ambrosi Grimaldi was not one who shed tears often; in fact, Amara couldn’t remember the last time she saw her father cry. Yet, as Ambrosi’s deep blue eyes swam in oceans of grief, Amara’s throat welled up with emotions and they too spilled from her eyes.

Professor McGonagall’s wand was the first to rise. She sent a light towards the Dark Mark, and many others followed suit. Soon enough, every student, Professor, and Order member had their want raised, aiming to destroy the darkness encroaching over them.

They raised their wands in unity, in memory of their beloved teacher, friend, mentor, and so much more….

~~~

“Do you think he would have done it? Draco?” Amara swallowed hard, resting her head against Ron’s shoulder, who wrapped an arm around her comfortingly. Harry glanced back at Amara, remembering Malfoy’s hesitation and why he was standing in front of Dumbledore that night. “No. No, he was lowering his wand.”

Amara felt a flicker of relief. She got up with Ron and the two of them joined Harry and Hermione at the balcony. “Next year, I won’t be back. I’ve got to finish what Dumbledore started. This Horcrux is a fake… but I won’t let it be for nothing. It’ll be tough, but I’ll let you guys know where I am when I can.”

Hermione nudged Harry and spoke up. “Harry, you really can be quite thick sometimes. We’ll be coming with you. All of us.” Harry’s eyes glanced at Ron who nodded solemnly and then shifted to Amara, who managed a small encouraging smile.

“Of course, Harry. From Quirrel to the basilisk, from the second task last year to forming Dumbledore’s Army, we’ve done everything together. And that’s how we’ll end this. Together.”

The four stood side by side, staring out onto the Black Lake. Above them, Fawkes sang mournfully, soaring the skies in its grief…

With that, 6th year has come to a close for Amara, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco.

If you made it all the way here (that was a lot to read, I know!), I’d love your feedback/comments/reactions/constructive criticisms :)

Until next time, JustAThoughtfulAngel <3

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justathoughtfulangel · 4 years ago

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The One That Got Away (Draco Malfoy Mini Series, Part Two)

Hellllooooo! Here is the second part of my Draco Malfoy Mini Series, The One. If you’d like to see more details about the series as a whole and a summary of this part or the parts to come, you can do so here. If you’d like to read more about my OC, Amara Grimaldi, you can do so here.

PLEASE read part one, The One Who was Lost, before you read this one. You can find it here.

Word count: 13, 254 (literally twice as long as part one, YIKES)

Please don’t hesitate to message me if you have any questions/comments/concerns or if you’d like to be tagged whenever I post a new part :)

Whenever you see “~~~”, I’m transitioning to a different scene. If you see “~” instead, we’re in the same scene but different characters are being shown.

If you have a hard time following the scenes, please use this scenes list as a resource.

Happy Reading!

Amara Grimaldi stood outside her home, wanting to take it in one last time. Everything was the same. The fountain flowed beautifully, birds chirped happily in the mornings, and her father, strong and unwavering, was always there to welcome her.

Ambrosi Grimaldi had watched his daughter grow in this house. It was here she discovered her passion for potion-brewing. It was here she took her first steps. It was here where he and his Lucianna had brought her after she was born. Grimaldi Manor is and always will be her home.

“I’ll see you at the wedding in a few days, Daddy.” Ambrosi smiled as much as he could and held his daughter close. Both of them knew the dangers they were in. Yet, if only for a moment, they were safe with each other.

Miles away, Harry Potter watched his cousin, aunt, and uncle drive away forever. Elsewhere, Ron Weasley stared out to the horizon, watching the setting sun. Meanwhile, Hermione Granger erased the memories of her parents, walking away from her home with just a small bag in her hand...

~~~

Amara had been braiding Gabrielle Delacour’s hair when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone apparating. “Excusez-moi, ma petite cherie.” Gabrielle nodded and smiled at Amara. “Merci beaucoup! Je peux finir seule, Amara.” Amara smiled back warmly, ducking to kiss the top of Gabrielle’s head before descending down the long, winding stairs of the Burrow.

“Herein is set forth the last will and testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore…” Minister Scrimgeour released the parchment, letting it float near him as he read from it. “First, to Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, a device of my own making, in hope that when things seem most dark, it will show him the light.” Ron reached out hesitantly to take the Deluminator and clicked it once. Two orbs of light from the nearby lamps floated into it, and then returned once he clicked it again.

Amara smiled softly as Ron mumbled, “Wicked!” under his breath. Scrimgeour raised an eyebrow, but he continued. “To Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard in hopes that she finds it entertaining and instructive.” Hermione took the book, flipping through its pages once. Ron babbled about the stories in the book while Harry and Hermione looked baffled. Amara assumed Scrimgeour was getting impatient, and he was. “To Amara Lucianna Grimaldi, I leave my copy of Hogwarts: A History, in hopes that she finds solace in the knowledge it provides.”

Amara took the book gingerly. The book was immensely fragile with age and she took great care in opening the cover. Its contents were very different from the copy Amara owned; Dumbledore’s copy was certainly an earlier edition, perhaps one of the first to be written. “Lastly, to Harry James Potter, I leave him the Golden Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch game at Hogwarts as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.” Amara’s head snapped up from the book. She shared a look with Hermione as Harry reached out to accept the Snitch. Yet, when his fingers grasped the cool metal, nothing happened.

Amara was expecting Scrimgeour to bid them goodbye but found he had more to read. “Dumbledore has left you a second bequest, Mr. Potter, the sword of Gryffindor. However, the sword was not Dumbledore’s to give away. It belongs to-”

Hermione quickly interjected, “Harry. It belongs to Harry. He drew the sword from the hat in our second year. It came to him in his time of need.” Amara knew that didn’t make the sword Harry’s, and she would’ve said so had the Minister not beat her to the chase. In any case, Amara was thinking about why Dumbledore left Harry the sword.

Dumbledore did not do anything without reason. Everything they had received was given to them for a purpose; who received what item was equally important.

Amara was brought out from her thoughts when Scrimgeour tried to tell Harry to give up. “I don’t know what you’re up to, Mr. Potter, but you can’t fight this war on your own. He’s too strong.” Amara happened to be sitting closest to Harry and she placed her hand on his shoulder supportively. Harry had always known he would either win this war or die trying; he didn’t need a reminder of how difficult things would be.

~~~

For now, things were brighter. Bill and Fleur had a beautiful wedding. Laughter and smiles could be seen everywhere, despite the dark times. Amara’s hand went to her bag and she clutched it, knowing she had everything should she and her friends have to Disapparate without warning.

From the corner of his eyes, Ambrosi noticed his daughter’s fingers tightening anxiously around the handbag he bought her for her 15th birthday. His hand rested on top of hers gently. “Amara, everything is fine.” Amara took a deep breath and managed to smile up at her father. Worries still plagued her mind and Ambrosi could see them in her eyes, but he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Dance with me, sweetheart.”

This time, Amara beamed genuinely. Hermione happened to be nearby and took her bag from her, gesturing her head towards the dance floor which at the moment was occupied by Luna and her father as well as Fleur and Monsieur Delacour. Amara took her dad’s hand and still found peace in it. 17 years of life and her father’s hand was still the one she turned to for guidance. It was still what she needed to reassure her when everything seemed strange.

Ambrosi held his daughter close and danced with her slowly, fighting the tears welling in his eyes. When Amara noticed them, she very gently wiped one away. “Don’t cry, Dad. We’ll see each other soon.” Ambrosi smiled and kissed his girl’s forehead. “When did you get so big, my dear? I remember when I would waltz around with you in our living room. Now you’re about to run off and save our world. Before I know it, we’ll be at your wedding.” Amara’s life had seemed to drag on in her mind, but it was quite the opposite for her father. He hadn’t realized when she had transformed into a beautiful woman from his adorable little girl. Time had passed too quickly for his liking.

“I want you to keep this, angel.” Ambrosi’s hand slipped his heavy golden ring from his finger, placing it in her palm. It bore the crest of the Grimaldi family. “I know you have your own, but I want you to have this piece of me when you’re off with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Return it to me the next time you see me.” It was far too big for Amara to wear, so she closed her hand around it. “Thank you, Daddy.” She reached to unclasp the thin chain she always wore. That necklace had one of her mother’s rings hanging from it, and she slid the Grimaldi family ring onto it as well.

“This way, you and Mumma will always be close to my heart, no matter how far we are.” Ambrosi’s eyes twinkled as he hugged his daughter. “I’m so proud of you. I know your mother would be too. I love you with all my heart, Amara. Remember that, always.” Amara couldn’t find her voice, so she just nodded. Eventually, she was able to speak. “Please stay safe.” Ambrosi smoothed Amara’s hair soothingly and kept his voice calm and reassuring. “I will, dear, I will.”

Before anyone had the chance to say anything else, Kingsley’s Patronus ran right in between Amara and her father, who held her close as it spoke. “Scrimgeour is dead. The Ministry has fallen. They are coming.” Ambrosi gave his daughter one more kiss before letting her go. “Get out of here, Amara. We’ll hold them off.” Death Eaters began Apparating into the tent and Amara frantically looked for Hermione, Ron, and Harry. “I love you, Dad!”

Ron and Hermione finally reached Amara and Remus shoved Harry to them. Within seconds, they had vanished.

Draco thrummed his fingers against his sleek, mahogany desk. He opened the first drawer to his left, one that he kept locked. Within it was a picture of Draco and Amara from when they were 10, among other memories he wished to treasure alone.

The picture was bright and colorful; Little Amara’s smile shined through her eyes and Little Draco, even then, looked at the camera only momentarily before looking at her. Draco closed his eyes. Behind his eyelids, he saw his Amara as she was now: kind, brave, loving, and still beautiful as ever.

He knew that she was likely at the Weasley wedding. In his cowardice, he was grateful that the Dark Lord didn’t force him to partake in the attack. Draco wouldn’t have been able to stand hurting Amara or those she cared about. He wanted Potter to win. He wanted all of this to be over.

Just as Draco went to put the picture away, he heard a woman scream downstairs. His first instinct was that the scream came from his mother. Leaving the picture on his desk, Draco Apparated down to his foyer to see his Aunt Bellatrix bleeding from her cheek as his mother hovered over her. Before he could sigh in relief at his mother being safe, he heard his aunt spit out curses and vow to kill every single member of the Order.

Draco closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. His thoughts found their way to Amara once more. Wherever they were, he hoped that she and her father stayed safe.

Up the stairs and through the door to Draco’s bedroom, Little Draco looked at Little Amara once more, his eyes gleaming with innocence and happiness. Draco hadn’t felt such joy in years, nor did he know if he ever would again.

~~~

A week or so had passed since they had run from the wedding. They had taken shelter at number 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry was exploring the house, and Ron was playing Fur Elise rather badly as Hermione tried to teach him; Amara could hear it even though she was in the kitchen. They had nothing much to do until Kreacher came back with Mundungus Fletcher.

Amara spent most of her time flipping through Hogwarts: A History, simultaneously looking at her copy and the one Dumbledore left her. She wanted to find the difference between the two, needing to know why Dumbledore left her this copy specifically. There was something hidden in here that he wanted Amara to find. She had already found numerous details that weren’t in her edition, such as more details regarding Slytherin’s thoughts behind making and sealing the Chamber of Secrets or a cup that Helga Hufflepuff created which was likely one of the first utensils ever used in the Great Hall. They must have been edited out with time or deemed irrelevant.

Amara was about to give up for the night before she paused. This page was entirely blank. She knew the Ministry had thoroughly examined each object bestowed to them. Whatever was hidden on this page would not reveal itself by a spell. “Hermione!” Amara wracked her brain as the piano keys stopped ringing immediately and Hermione rushed into the kitchen. “What is it?”

She took a minute to respond, the wheels in her mind churning with determination. “You know the Ministry has searched all of the items Dumbledore left to us in his will?” Amara turned the book to show Ron and Hermione the blank page. “They were looking for enchantments, spells, etc. What if Dumbledore hid something on this page using a non-magical method?” Hermione’s eyes lit up in recognition and summoned a lemon, a knife, and some cotton swabs.

“That’s ingenious, Amara. If Dumbledore has hidden something on this page in a non-magical manner, it would most likely be invisible ink.” Hermione was slicing a lemon just as Harry walked in; Ron leaned over to fill him in quickly in the background. When Amara gently brushed the lemon juice over the page, everyone watched with bated breath.

Gasping softly, Amara saw the message appearing beneath her fingertips. Noticing how faint it was, Harry quickly cast Lumos, his wand hovering over the page. It wasn’t a message, it was a riddle. Hermione read it aloud as Amara finally moved away. The four of them stood around the table, reading Dumbledore’s handwriting as it gleamed up at them.

“For one destroyed, false security was the answer.

He first tried with a memory.

Then, he relied on his grandfather.

He craved excellence, wisdom, and victory.

He had one companion left

When he tried to escape his downfall, he left himself there.

In the end, there was only him.”

Ron groaned in frustration. “If he wanted to hide a message, why did it have to be another puzzle to solve?!” Amara said nothing, still reading and rereading Dumbledore’s message. Harry sighed as well, though he was the one who discerned why. “Dumbledore must have known they would search his things. If he felt the need to hide this specific riddle, it must be crucial information Dumbledore didn’t want in the wrong hands.”

They were interrupted with the resonating crack of Apparation, and Amara slammed the book closed, the words imprinted on her mind. Kreacher and Dobby appeared, dragging Mundungus Fletcher along. “Dobby?!” Dobby began explaining why he tagged along as everyone in the room cornered Mundungus. “Look, I panicked that night, alright’?! Could I help it if Mad-Eye fell off his broom?” Hermione dangled the locket in front of him as Harry shut him up quickly. “While you were here, did you steal a locket- don’t deny it!- that looked like that one? What did you do with it?”

“Why, was it valuable?” He had quite the audacity to ask such a question. “Do you still have it?” Amara chimed in, while Ron scoffed. “He’s probably worried he didn’t get enough money for it.” This time, Mundungus had the sense to look remorseful. “Bleedin’ gave it away, didn’t I? I was scuffling ‘round Diagon Alley when some Ministry hag asked to see me license. Said she had a mind to turn me in, ‘til she took a shine to my locket.”

“Who was she? This woman. What did she look like?” Mundungus began to respond once more until his eyes fell to an old copy of the Daily Prophet. “Well, that’s her right there. Bleedin’ bow and all!”

Amara grabbed the paper to set it on the table, and the four of them shared a look. Though the image was black and white, Amara could see the sickening pink of her suit. “Umbridge.”

~~~

The clothes of Marietta Edgecombe’s mother, Madame Edgecombe, were beginning to loosen around Amara’s body while Albert Runcorn’s face bubbled and morphed back into Harry’s. Realizing they had no time to waste, Amara stunned Umbridge and Hermione ripped the locket from her neck. Ron took Mary Cattermole along with them and they sprinted into the elevator before the Dementors got too close.

Harry cast the Patronus charm and they were immediately off. By then, the effects of the Polyjuice Potion had worn off for everyone besides Ron, and Amara was sure she’d seen a camera flash behind them. Ron spoke to Mary Cattermole, instructing her to take the kids and run. As she pulled her ‘husband’ into a kiss, Ron began morphing back into himself. He looked rather embarrassed, even more so when the real Reginald Cattermole saw his wife kissing a stranger.

“Long story, sorry!” They had no time to indulge this awkward moment. Yaxley shot a spell aimed at Harry, and Hermione noticed that the grates to the fireplaces were slamming down one by one. The four of them managed to enter one, but not before Yaxley got a hold of Ron’s arm.

When Amara landed on her feet, she saw they had not returned to Grimmauld Place but had landed in some forest instead. Gasping softly as she saw Ron’s torn shoulder joint, Amara immediately opened her bag and dug around for Dittany. She threw the bottle to Hermione and tried to catch her breath. “Hermione, I thought-”

Hermione was soothing a whimpering Ron, trying to administer the searing droplets of Dittany. “Yaxley must have gotten ahold of Ron, Harry. It wasn’t safe for us there anymore.” Hermione nodded, wiping away some tears. “I had to get us out of there, but Ron got splinched.” Amara’s eyes softened and Harry looked like he was at a loss for words. She patted Harry’s shoulder gently. “The tent is in my bag, Harry. Set it up, please? I’ll do the enchantments.”

Harry was frozen for a few moments. So many people had gotten hurt for him. How many more would before this ended? Amara’s gentle hand to his shoulder broke him from his daze, and he went to begin building the tent.

Amara glanced back at her friends once more, worry flitting through her eyes. “Repello Muggletom, Salvio Hexia, Muffliato Maxima….”

~~~

Ambrosi sighed concernedly, setting the paper down. Amara was pictured, clear as day, running from numerous Ministry officials who fired various spells at her. When he turned the page, he saw his daughter’s face on a Wanted poster.

Artemis had come to settle next to him, hooting sadly and nudging Amara’s picture with her talons. Ambrosi brought his hand up to pet her gently and she nibbled on his finger affectionately in return. He was doing his best to keep his promise to Amara, but it was immensely difficult to stay safe. While Grimaldi Manor was protected, Ambrosi wouldn’t be should he have to leave for any mission for the Order.

He had lost his beloved wife because of this darkness; he hoped and prayed for his Amara’s safety every day. She would not lose him because of this War, he would make sure of it.

~~~

Amara was pacing around the perimeter of their safe haven, her arms hugging a black shawl to her body. From her neck dangled the two rings on a small chain, clinking softly as she walked. As she got closer to the tent, she overheard Harry snapping at Hermione for not doing enough for Ron. Amara, too, had been working on brewing a healing potion, but it was proving to be very difficult with the limited number of ingredients she brought with her.

Amara stood in front of Harry, stretching out her hand. “Take it off. The Horcrux.” Harry tugged the locket from his neck aggressively, immediately letting out a loud sigh of relief. “Better?” Harry nodded silently, and Amara clasped it around her neck. “We’ll wear it in turns.”

From inside the tent, Ron’s radio crackled, and Lee Jordan’s voice rang out clearly. The locket now hung right next to Ambrosi’s ring, chittering maliciously as always. As night fell, Harry, Hermione, and Amara headed into the tent. Amara had made her way into the kitchen, not quite thinking of anything but dinner. Deciding on some quick spaghetti, Amara got a pot of water boiling and dug around her bag for a jar of sauce.

“And now for some sobering news. We’ve just received word that our beloved friend, Nectar, has been murdered by Death Eaters just miles away from his home. Let’s all have a moment of silence in his memory.” The jar of pasta sauce fell from Amara’s fingers and crashed to the floor. Hermione rushed over to her but faltered slightly. Amara’s face was entirely expressionless.

No one spoke or moved for the next minute. The crackle from Ron’s radio broke the silence. “To those that knew him, Nectar was a benevolent man, an unwavering father, and a strong friend. He died a hero. In Nectar’s honor, the password for our next broadcast will be Grimaldi. Stay safe everyone, Potterwatch will be back as soon as possible.” Amara walked over the broken glass and clung to her shawl, exiting the tent numbly.

Ron came out from the bedroom, his eyes wet with tears and one trailing down his face. Hermione went over to him and hugged him close, both of them sobbing silently. Harry felt his heart shattering. Of all of them, he could understand Amara’s pain best. Ambrosi was beloved by all. He was one of the few men he trusted dearly, possibly the one he trusted most after Sirius and Remus.

Amara stood outside the tent, the snow falling around her, contrasting harshly against her black shawl. Silent tears were streaming down her face. The cold air was thinning around her, suffocating her until she couldn’t breathe. Her knees gave way from her shock just as Harry came out, quickly catching her. When she felt Harry’s arms around her, something in Amara snapped.

She let out a wail, one that could have been heard for miles had they not put up a sound barrier. That wail gave way to broken, choked sobs as Amara clung to Harry. The cold around them couldn’t compare to the shattering grief inside her, threatening to consume her at any second.

Inside the tent, Hemione placed a hand over her mouth and Ron closed his eyes in pain when they heard Amara’s scream. Harry didn’t know what to say or do besides holding her. He knew this pain, and in this pain, no one could say anything to make it better. Things would be dark until something -anything- gives you a glimmer of hope. Amara had been there for him the most after Sirius’s death, and he would do the same.

Bellatrix’s cackles rang through the foyer of Malfoy Manor. Draco gritted his teeth, not interested in another gleeful rant about which Order member or muggleborn family she had killed now. His fingers clutched his mug of tea, burning with the heat encircling them.

“I told you, Cissy! I told you I would kill that blood-traitor!” Draco managed to take a sip, the hot tea scalding his throat. He stood, about to make his way to his bedroom for the night. “That Ambrosi Grimaldi got what was coming to him.”

Draco’s mug hit the floor, shattering into tiny shards. The tea swam across the wooden floor. Draco said nothing. He couldn’t. He didn’t trust his voice, nor his ears in this moment.

In her cheerful reverie, his aunt ignored it completely. Narcissa’s eyes immediately shot to Draco. Lucius, too, hardened as he stood, unreadable as always. Somehow, Draco got his feet to move. The winding staircase to the bedrooms seemed even longer to Draco now, his feet dragging with effort as he moved.

While Bellatrix danced around the room, her sister’s eyes followed Draco as he trudged upstairs. She wanted to follow him but thought otherwise when she heard Draco’s door slam shut.

The Muffliato cast over his bedroom would have stifled his scream had he not gone out to his balcony. It rang out across the immaculate lawns, frightening the peacocks roaming around. He lost the man who cared for him just as Amara did. Amara…

Swallowing hard, Draco closed his eyes, letting himself feel the hot tears streaming down his face. How much more would she have to lose? How much more was this War going to take from them all?

~~~

Amara had been in a daze these past few days. They weren’t making much progress with the search, nor were they any closer to deciphering Dumbledore’s riddle. She couldn’t sleep. Should her eyes droop shut for even just a few minutes, the Potterwatch broadcast played in her mind like a reel on replay.

Hermione’s rhythmic snipping of scissors was nearly silent as she attempted to give Harry a haircut. Harry found it entirely unnecessary; it was just something to pass the time. His mind was elsewhere: the night of Bill and Fleur’s wedding when he last spoke to Ambrosi. He found it more important than ever to remember these words.

The wedding had transitioned into the reception seamlessly. Harry found himself surrounded by many red-headed Weasleys and members of the Order, the atmosphere high with celebrations. He was sitting at a table alone when he was joined by Ambrosi who put a fatherly hand on his shoulder.

Ambrosi knew they would be leaving tomorrow; before he went to dance with his daughter, he wanted to come talk to Harry. The war brewing and the lives lost had a devastating impact on Harry. Ambrosi felt the responsibility of lightening his burden as much as he could. “Harry… It can be very easy to blame ourselves for grievances in life, especially when we are there to witness them. For years, even before I knew of Sirius’s innocence and Pettigrew’s deceptions, I did not blame Sirius for the death of Lucianna... I blamed myself. I believed I should have been the one to go to Godric’s Hollow that night in her stead.” Harry swallowed softly, and Ambrosi’s eyes gleamed softly with his wisdom and kindness. It was the same look Amara often had in her eyes. She was more like her father than she knew.

“In some ways, that feeling has never gone away. And yet… When I think of our world now, I think of the other eleven people who were murdered that night and the countless lives being lost because of the darkness in our world. People leave this world and new souls are created every second. Our proximity to death doesn’t make death our fault.” Ambrosi’s voice never wavered. It was strong and reassuring, and Harry absorbed the words as much as he could. “This war has been building for a long time. Lives have been lost, and unfortunately, we’ll lose others we love as well. Remember who you are, Harry. Not what is happening around you, not what may happen. Remember who you are, and this war will not be able to steal you away from yourself.”

“Oh my God!” As the scissors clattered to the floor, Harry was pulled away from his thoughts. Hermione rushed to the kitchen, digging through her bag and pulling out one of her many books. Harry followed her quickly, ignoring the incessant crackling of Ron’s radio. Amara stepped into the tent, shivering from the cold outside. Her emotional numbness dissipated slightly when she took in the excitement exuding from Hermione. “The sword of Gryffindor… it’s goblin-made!” Amara’s eyes widened and she went to join Hermione at the table. “That’s amazing news!”

Harry looked at the two of them in bewilderment, completely not understanding why the sword being goblin-made had anything to do with the sudden cheer (and also because this was the first time he’d seen light in Amara’s eyes in weeks). Hermione exhaled in exhilaration and spoke, “You’ve already destroyed a Horcrux, haven’t you? Tom Riddle’s diary.”

“With a Basilisk’s fang! Don’t tell me you and Amara have one of those in your bloody little bags.” Harry reached across the table to see the book Hermione was flipping through. “You don’t understand. The blade of the sword does not rust or dull over time... It only takes in what makes it stronger.” A glimmer of understanding shined in Harry’s eyes. “The sword is impregnated with Basilisk venom. Which is why…”

“Why Dumbledore left it to me in his will! You are brilliant, Hermione, truly.” Hermione babbled in her exhilaration, humbly disregarding Harry’s compliment. “There’s only one problem, of course.” Before Harry could continue, the lights in the tent suddenly switched off, plunging them into momentary darkness. When they came on again, Ron was standing to their immediate left, the Deluminator clenched harshly in his fist. “The sword was stolen.”

Amara was the first to recognize Ron’s anger. “Ron… the Horcrux. Have you been wearing it all day?” He completely ignored her, plundering on as his emotions overruled his mind. “Yeah, I’m still here. But you two carry on. Don’t let me spoil all the fun.” His tone made the girls blanch with worry. “What’s wrong?” Ron scoffed as if Harry’s question was utterly ludicrous.

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong. Not according to you, anyway.” Harry’s jaw began to set, hardening with irritation. “Look, if you’ve got something to say, don’t be shy. Spit it out.” The argument escalated; Ron was seething internally, and it was only a matter of time before his anger bubbled over like lava and burned those near him. “Alright, I’ll spit it out. But don’t expect me to be grateful now that there’s another damn thing we’ve got to find.”

“I thought you knew what you signed up for.” Harry’s eyes were wide, not used to this kind of behavior from Ron. This wasn’t like him at all. “Yeah, I thought I did too.” Harry began to get up and approached Ron, ignoring Amara’s hand as she reached out to grab his wrist and hold him back. “Well then, I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand. What part of this isn’t living up to your expectations? I mean, did you think we were gonna be staying in a 5-star hotel? Finding a Horcrux every other day? Did you think you’d be back with your mum by Christmas?”

“I just thought, after all this time, we would have actually achieved something. I thought you knew what you were doing! I thought Dumbledore would’ve told you something worthwhile.” Hermione came to stand next to Ron, not knowing how to help. Ideas on how to deescalate the situation ran through Amara’s mind, but she wasn’t confident that anything would work at this point. “I told you everything Dumbledore told me, and in case you haven’t noticed, we have found a Horcrux already.”

“Yeah, and we’re as close to getting rid of it as we are to finding the rest of them, aren’t we?” Hermione reached for the Horcrux, begging him to take it off. “Ron, please... You wouldn’t be saying any of this if you hadn’t been wearing it all day.” He continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Do you know why I listen to that radio every night? I listen so I don’t hear Ginny’s name. Or Fred, or George, or my mum.”

“You think I’m not listening to? You think I don’t know how it feels?” “No, you DON’T know how it feels! Your parents are dead; you have no family.” The scathing words thundered around the four as Harry jumped forward, wanting to expel his anger but unable to hurt his best friend. “Fine, then go! Go then!” Ron tugged the Horcrux off furiously, not even faltering when he saw Hermione’s tears.

Amara’s heart panged, the cracks in it searing her painfully. “And you? Are you coming or you staying?” Hermione looked at Ron and then to Harry and Amara. She couldn’t say anything, but Amara nodded to her softly. Ron would need her with him; it was far too dangerous for him to leave alone, and it wouldn’t be right to leave Harry alone either.

Hermione wordlessly agreed, and Amara knew she would bring Ron back as soon as she could. Dumping some of her books onto the table, she grabbed her bag with the tears streaming down her face. Harry understood though he couldn’t honestly say he didn’t feel betrayed. Ambrosi’s words came to his mind as they Disapparated. Remember who you are, Harry. Not what is happening around you, not what may happen. Remember who you are, and this war will not be able to steal you away from yourself.

~~~

Harry came to join Amara outside. She was sitting with her back against a tree, her eyes closed as she breathed in the frosty, winter air. When she heard the scuffle of Harry sitting beside her, Amara didn’t open her eyes but rather just leaned to rest her head against his shoulder and made sure her blanket covered him as well. He hummed softly in contentment, asking her what she was thinking about.

“I was remembering a trip I took with my father and Draco one winter. His parents were taking a vacation and Draco hated being left behind, so he came to stay with us. We would spend the day skiing or flying or building castles of snow… My dad would turn in around an hour or so before we did, and we’d sit by a fireplace, reading together or just talking.” Harry’s arm came around Amara’s shoulder and he smiled softly. That didn’t sound like the Malfoy he knew, but he could hear a smile in Amara’s voice. She truly cherished these memories… she truly cherished him.

“You love him.” Harry didn’t ask a question. He knew, just as she did. “Yes, I love him. Even if he may not show that he loves me too.” They sat together in comfortable silence. A few birds chirped around them and a soft wind blew through the grand conifers. Harry and Amara were both hurting, but just for these silent moments, their pain could be pushed aside.

~~~

As Amara woke the next morning, the day felt brighter. There seemed to be a palpable hum of energy in the air, something that had all but vanished in the last few months. Harry was nowhere in sight, but Amara heard people talking outside. Shooting out of bed immediately, she grabbed her cardigan and rushed out of the tent, worry clearly etched onto her face. Her feet faltered once she made it out of the mouth of the tent; her features lit up with relief.

Hermione rushed to Amara and threw her arms around her. Harry was smiling for the first time in a while. From the corner of her eyes, Amara saw the Sword of Gryffindor in Ron’s hand, the morning sun reflecting off of the blade and shining onto the destroyed locket in his other hand. “You found it! Where?” Harry and Ron exchanged a glance, both of them remembering last night’s events and Hermione sighed softly as she thought of the locket’s torturous words to Ron.

The quartet headed into the warm tent and Amara began making some tea as she was brought up to speed with the events. The searingly harsh Horcrux was not a surprise to Amara; she remembered all too clearly how the Horcrux in Tom Riddle’s diary had wanted to kill Harry. It made perfect sense, actually. Twisted, dark souls could only bring pain and destruction.

Even so, the energy didn’t dissipate from around the four friends. There was a shining sense of hope when they were reunited. No one forgot at how quickly that hope could be torn away from them, but they all clung on to it anyhow.

When Amara gave Hermione her tea, she handed something to Amara in return: Dumbledore’s copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Amara flipped to the page that was marked, her fingers brushing against the inscription that followed “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” Harry peered over Amara’s shoulder curiously while the wheels in Amara’s mind churned away. Surely this wasn’t a rune she had seen before.

“I’ve seen that… Xenophilius Lovegood was wearing that symbol at Bill and Fleur’s wedding.” Amara’s eyebrows shot up as she experienced a stifled epiphany. She had an idea about what the symbol could mean, but voicing her idea was not the best way to go about this, not when Ron’s motive for leaving was based on more things they had to find. She would wait for Luna’s father to confirm or deny her suspicions before she brought this up. “We need to go see him.”

~~~

“That treacherous little… Is there no one we can trust?!” Ron’s agitation spilled from his mouth and echoed against the trees surrounding them. “They took Luna, Ron. He was desperate.” Harry was angered as well, but not at Xenophilius. He was angry with himself. The thoughts he often tried to dispel spun around in his head again. He did not want more people to get hurt for him. Before Harry could recall Ambrosi’s words and ground himself, Hermione froze in his peripheral vision.

Just a few feet from them, Snatchers lounged against the trees, looking for their next targets lazily. “Well don’t hang about, snatch ‘em!” Amara had to take Hermione’s hand and drag her out of her shock. In his shock, Ron stumbled and ran as fast as he could. Even as they began to run, Amara knew they would not make it away safely; they could not Disapparate away together, they wouldn’t get close enough.

As discreetly as she could, Amara sent a Stinging Jinx in Harry’s direction. His cry of pain was muffled by the bracken covered ground as he tripped. Hermione, now completely back to her senses, grabbed Harry’s glasses and stuffed them into her bag. Harry’s glasses were far too recognizable. At the same time, Amara took up some mud and caked it onto her neck and cheek. She knew it wouldn’t be enough. Amara Grimaldi’s face was next to Harry’s on the Wanted posters.

Wracking her brain for whatever she could do in the limited amount of time they had, Amara thought of only one spell: Crinus Muto. It was an exceedingly difficult spell, one of the last she had learned from Professor McGonagall. If performed incorrectly, the results would be disastrous.

Yet, by some stroke of luck (or perhaps by the skill Amara had), she was no longer recognizable. Her long, mahogany locks had transformed into short strands of blonde silk. The Snatchers had thankfully been unable to see Amara’s transformation and were stupid enough to assume that one member of the group got away. No matter. There were four more prizes to collect.

Four of the Snatchers grabbed each of the four friends while the leader sauntered around them arrogantly. He questioned them individually, trying to see which would crack first. Hermione chose to say she was Penelope Clearwater, and Ron said he was Barney Weasley. Amara’s lie had come to her quickly: Marietta Edgecombe, the pureblood daughter of Madame Edgecombe whom she had impersonated a few weeks ago.

Her breath caught in her throat when the leader, Scabior, paused in front of Harry. His eyes lingered on Harry’s forehead for much longer than necessary. “Change of plans… we’re not taking this lot to the Ministry.”

The days were passing. Each moment suffocated Draco more and more. His thoughts never strayed too far from Amara. Was she safe? What was she doing? When would he see her again? When could she be allowed to properly grieve? When would this all end? Would the two of them be able to walk away from this alive?

Narcissa paused at Draco’s door, observing as Draco’s shoulders slumped forward. Long gone was the laughter that warmed this household. Long gone was the light in his eyes. “Draco…” Her heart broke even further when her son looked into her eyes. Every inch of her was aching to grab her child and shield him from the horrors of this life, an instinct she had been attempting to ignore for years now.

“Yes, Mother?” His voice echoed his desolation. Draco had lost the capacity to feel anything. “Your Aunt Bellatrix is calling you. We believe you can identify some traitors.” Even before she came to get her son, Narcissa knew that these were no traitors. Traitors to the Dark Lord, perhaps, but not traitors to the good in the world. Amara had transfigured herself physically, which was a remarkable feat in itself, given that she was not a Metamorphagus. Human transfiguration spells were known to be exceedingly difficult and even dangerous to maintain. Amara could not, however, transfigure the mannerisms ingrained into her. How she carried herself. Her facial expressions. The way she pressed the pad of her thumb to her index finger when she lied, a movement so small you’d have to look for it to see it. Narcissa could see it was her almost immediately.

Draco stood and passed his mother. His lifelessness had scared him once, too, but now it was just who he was. It was who he had to become since he rejected Amara in the hospital wing months ago. Narcissa did not have time to warn her son; their house was no longer safe, their walls had ears. His descent down the winding staircase was not rushed. A memory flitted through his mind: Amara at age eight, daring Draco to slide down the banister. Would they ever know such joy again?

“Ah, Draco! So good of you to join us.” Draco looked up at the sound of her voice just out of habit. When he did, his feet faltered. He prayed it wasn’t noticeable. His eyes fell on Granger and Weasley, and then to the blonde girl standing next to them, mud drying on her neck and left cheek, obscuring her features. Draco’s confusion lasted only a fraction of a second. His aunt’s next words cleared them up immediately.

The Snatchers had not been dismissed. Bellatrix enjoyed an audience. Whether that audience would witness the Dark Lord’s reward to the family or if they would witness a murder by her hands was irrelevant. “I have reason to believe that the imp I am holding is none other than the chosen one himself.” The biting sarcasm tore through her voice, but he no longer heard anything. Noises muted in the background. If this was Potter, Granger, and Weasley… then the blonde girl was Amara. There was no other option.

Bellatrix tugged on Harry’s hair, revealing the scar which stretched across his forehead. “Well?” She looked at Draco expectantly, growing frustrated when his answer was weak. “I can’t be sure.” Lucius had been listening silently up until this point. His loyalties had never externally wavered, but he, too, wanted this war over. “Look closely, son. If we are the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, all will be forgiven. All will be as it was, do you understand?” Draco swallowed hard and took a cautious step forward.

“Don’t be shy, sweetie. Come over.” Bellatrix pulled Draco by the arm gently, bringing him to his knees in front of Harry. “If this isn’t who we think it is, Draco, and we call him, he’ll kill us all. We need to be absolutely sure.”

Draco was sure. “What’s wrong with his face?” The scar didn’t give him away, his eyes did. Draco had glared into them enough times to know what they looked like. “Yes, what is wrong with his face?” Bellatrix echoed the question. “He came to us like that. Something he picked up in the forest, I reckon.”

Harry was not entirely surprised that Draco had not given him away. He was slowly starting to see the Draco his friend loved. He was there, hiding underneath the surface, just as Amara always said. “Or ran into a Stinging Jinx.” Amara’s heart thudded in panic. Hermione glanced at Amara anxiously, but she held her ground as Bellatrix’s eyes narrowed on her. Narcissa clutched Lucius’s arm, frightened for the girl whom she loved like a daughter. She was unable to protect her, just as she was unable to protect Draco. “Give me her wand, I want to see what her last spell was.”

A pleased, evil giggle came from Bellatrix and she continued to step towards Amara. “Got you.” She paused then, her glee molding into fear. “What’s that?” Bellatrix’s voice was no more than a whisper. Her eyes gestured toward the Sword of Gryffindor which was being held by a Snatcher. “Where did you get that from?” Scabior seemed a bit bored, having seen many such encounters. “It was in her bag when we searched her.” He took the sword and pointed it at Amara. “Reckon it’s mine now.”

The grin on Scabior’s face was wrenched away with Bellatrix’s spell, casting him back towards the stairwell and the Sword flew into her hand. “Get out!” Exuding a whip from the tip of her wand, Bellatrix attacked the other Snatchers, beating them until they scrambled away. Her eyes came to narrow on Amara. “Cissy, put the boys and the mudblood in the cellar.” Ron, Harry, and Hermione were pulled away by Narcissa and then pulled down the stairs by Pettigrew. Their screams and protests fell on deaf ears.

Amara’s face had not changed, even when she had a very good idea of what was coming. “I want to have a little conversation with this one.” Bellatrix wasted no time with theatrics now. She made her way to Amara very quickly, pausing only when the necklace Amara wore gleamed in the light. Amara inhaled sharply, and her focus slipped. Her magic could no longer maintain the disguise. Even if it did, it would have been meaningless. The necklace held her father’s ring; the crest of the Grimaldi family was all too recognizable.

When Harry and Ron were tossed to the dungeon floor, they heard Bellatrix’s cackle. It was joyful once again. She had found another motivation for torturing Amara, not that she needed convincing. Amara’s blonde hair reverted to its natural state, and Bellatrix took a handful, using it to throw the girl to the ground. Despite her pain, Amara clenched her jaw shut, refusing to scream or speak. She would not give this murderer any form of satisfaction. “I had hoped to kill you the same day I killed your father, but I suppose that can be taken care of now.” In her taunting, Bellatrix did not see that Narcissa and Lucius had to restrain Draco. Attacking his aunt would only bring more pain to Amara, and a part of Draco knew that. How could he be expected to watch the girl he loved -he had stopped denying it long ago- be torn apart?

“How brave. Your father was brave too. But bravery doesn’t save anyone, now does it?” Something in Amara snapped. Perhaps it was foolish, she knew it would only invite more torture for her. She stood and grabbed Bellatrix’s wand arm, twisting it behind her back. “Don’t say another word about my father.” In their surprise at Amara’s actions, Draco was nearly able to wrench out of his parents’ arms. They caught him again before he could help her. Bellatrix freed her arm from Amara’s grip and backhanded her with enough force to send her flying to the ground once more.

Amara did not show her pain; her will was no match for the Cruciatus curse, however. Bellatrix’s bloodlust and anger fueled the spell. Amara’s body convulsed as the spell seared through her brain, and she could no longer hold back the screams of agony. It took all of Narcissa and Lucius’s strength to keep Draco restrained, and Amara’s screams were echoed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the cellars. “Not so brave now, Grimaldi?” The spell intensified for a moment before it relented.

Amara gasped, trying to prepare herself for more pain. The cries of her friends grew louder, and it took every ounce of control Draco had to not harm his parents and rush over to Amara. Bellatrix tucked her wand away and grabbed her dagger, harshly flipping Amara over and laying over her. “That sword is meant to be in my vault at Gringotts. How did you get it? What else did you and your friends take from my vault?!” Her voice started out as a whisper and crescendoed to a scream.

Draco felt unbelievably useless. In all the years Draco had known Amara, he had never heard her sound so broken. “I didn’t take anything. Please… we found it.” He could not stand this. Narcissa looked at her son once he slumped in her arms, sharing a look with her husband as well. Watching Amara writhe in agony was torture for them too. “I don’t believe you.” As silently as he could, Draco took the wands of the quartet and slunk off to the dungeons. His face contorted with pain as Amara’s screams echoed throughout the foyer and down the stairs to the dungeons. It only took seconds to stun Pettigrew and Draco faltered when he saw Dobby. “Dobby?” Luna and Ollivander were gone, to Draco’s relief. The cries were unbearable for all those who loved Amara. It didn’t seem possible, but they got even louder.

Draco had tears in his eyes, as did Hermione. Harry did not fail to notice them. The five worked on a plan to get them back upstairs and safely away with Amara. Draco had to sneak back upstairs first, leaving the wands with their rightful owners. Dobby Apparated them up to the top of the stairs. Amara lay on the floor. Her blood pooled out of her forearm; the words ‘blood traitor’ were etched into her skin. Bellatrix kicked her once more in anger and questioned Griphook about who could have possibly entered her vault.

Silent tears streamed from Amara’s eyes. The tears could have been from the assault she had endured, but she didn’t think so. Her heart thudded painfully when she saw Draco’s eyes, broken and helpless as he looked at her. “Liar!” The dagger that had torn through the skin on Amara’s forearm had grazed Griphook’s cheek. Bellatrix was not going to get any substantial answers from him because they had never broken into her vault. “Consider yourself lucky, goblin. The same won’t be said for this one.”

Amara did not have the energy to defend herself. Not anymore. Bellatrix was slightly disappointed. Having her victims struggle and scream was part of the fun. Just then, Amara’s friends ran from the shadows and attacked. Draco was bound by his love for his family as much as he was for his love for Amara. He pretended to fight against Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Should he concede too easily, his aunt would see and would kill Amara so much faster.

As soon as they came into sight, Bellatrix pulled Amara up to her feet. “Stop!” Hermione, Harry, and Ron faltered when they saw Amara. Draco bit down on his tongue so hard he drew blood. “Drop your wands” The dagger pressed against Amara’s throat. One slice and she would be gone. “I said drop them!” They had no choice but to obey. “Draco, pick them up, now!” Draco picked them up without hesitation, knowing well that he would return them as soon as he could.

“Well well well… look what we have here! It’s Harry Potter! He’s all bright and shiny and new… just in time for the Dark Lord!” Amara whimpered softly, and Draco had to look away. This was worse than any of his nightmares. “Call him.” Amara’s life was at the mercy of his deranged aunt, and he did not have the strength to watch. Her screams and his sheer helplessness would be etched into him forever, just like the cruel words would be on her. “Call him!”

Before Lucius could begin calling Lord Voldemort, the silence in the foyer was met with a squeaking sound. Bellatrix looked up to see Dobby on top of the chandelier, not realizing what he was doing until it was released. In her haste, Bellatrix shoved Amara away from her as she dove backward. Hermione caught her and in the chaos, Harry tugged the wands away from Draco who didn’t put up much of a fight.

“You stupid elf! You could’ve killed me!” Griphook had joined their little group and Hermione held Amara upright. It was taking all of Amara’s strength to stand. “Dobby never meant to kill. Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure.” Narcissa swirled her wand around as if to cast a spell, though her movement made it only too easy for Dobby to disarm her.

“How dare you take a witch’s wand? How dare you defy your masters?!” Bellatrix’s screaming did not affect Dobby. The only one terrified was Amara. Her voice would haunt Amara’s dreams just as Amara’s suffering would haunt Draco. “Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!” They all reached for Dobby and he began to Disapparate just Bellatrix threw the dagger towards the group. Draco’s blood ran cold when he saw the dagger disappear along with them.

~~~

Dobby’s death had shaken all of them to the core. The four spent as much time together as they could, planning and recuperating. Amara spent much time mulling over the riddle Dumbledore left her. There wasn’t much else for her to do. She and Harry would remain hidden with Griphook when they broke into Gringotts. It was certain that Bellatrix was terrified of something else being taken from her vault… they just don’t know what it was.

Hermione stood at the doorway of the guest room where Amara was, her hand hesitating above the doorknob. She was not going to have her impersonate the woman that killed her father and tortured her, Hermione would do it instead. “Harry! Ron! Hermione!” Amara’s voice rang through the cottage. Her friends burst through the door without wasting another moment. “What happened?”

Amara was busy scribbling away on some spare parchment. Dumbledore’s riddle finally made sense. “I figured out what the riddle means!” Amara laid the riddle and her incomplete notes side by side. “For one destroyed, false security was the answer. He first tried with a memory.” Amara shook her head incredulously, not understanding why it took her so long to figure this out. “The riddle gives us clues to his Horcruxes.” She had to be careful not to say the name.

“A memory… his diary?” Hermione caught on quickly, relieved. “Then, he relied on his grandfather. Marvolo Gaunt’s ring.” Harry gingerly lifted the book up and Ron noted the next line. “He craved excellence, wisdom, and victory.” This gave them all pause. Amara took a moment to think not of Lord Voldemort, but of Tom Marvolo Riddle, the child with the dark life and past. Hogwarts had been his home. “Hogwarts. Excellence, wisdom, and victory… the traits of the Hogwarts houses. Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor!”

The four huddled on the bed for another hour, trying to determine what each line meant. “Ron destroyed Slytherin’s locket! But victory… victory could also be a trait of the Hufflepuff house…” Amara was running her mind over what object of the Ravenclaw family could Voldemort have defiled. She was coming up with nothing. “If we know it’s an object of victory, perhaps we’re looking for a trophy… a cup of some kind.”

By the end of their brainstorming, they had concluded that four Horcruxes remained. One would be linked to Ravenclaw, the other to Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. One was a companion of his… though they were unsure about who this could be. Voldemort had an army of followers; any one of which could be holding a Horcrux for him.

The last two lines bothered Amara. She believed she understood what they meant. ‘When he tried to escape his downfall, he left himself there.’ Voldemort had gone to kill Harry… A Horcrux was not going to be found in Harry’s old home, he would have already found it when they went to Godric’s Hollow. But what if Harry himself was a Horcrux. Amara didn’t want to entertain the possibility, but her rationality did not allow her to dismiss it. Harry had known for a long time that he may not live through this War; Amara could not be the one to confirm her friend’s death.

~~~

Before they knew it, the quartet was back at Hogwarts. Seeing Neville and all of their friends brought everyone a renewed sense of relief. Quickly, the came up with a plan to find the remaining Horcruxes. Harry explained that the Horcrux they needed to find had something to do with Ravenclaw. The suggestion of the lost diadem was echoed by Luna and Amara was about to leave when students were being summoned to the Great Hall.

They wouldn’t get away with ignoring the summon. If they tried, it would have brought about much torture. “I have a better idea.” Harry quickly changed into Hogwarts robes as Nigel made a Potterwatch broadcast announcing that the four were at Hogwarts. Amara, Hermione, and Ron were alerting the members of the Order.

The march to the Great Hall felt like a march of prisoners rather than students. Amara swallowed a whimper of pain as she watched. Where was the Hogwarts that was her home? Was it lost forever?

“Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It has come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade.” A murmur rose from the student body. Harry was beginning to twitch with anger. “Now. Should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore…

“Any person found to have knowledge of these events and fails to come forward will be treated as equally guilty.” Snape left the head of the Hall and made his way down the center aisle, his eyes searching. “Now then, if anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter’s movements this evening… I invite them to step forward…. Now.” His feet stopped. His eyes glanced directly at the old members of Dumbledore’s Army.

Harry could not stand it any longer. He stepped out from the group of Ravenclaw students as the student body gasped in shock. Snape’s eyes narrowed like those of a snake. “It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you have a bit of a security problem Headmaster.” The grand golden doors of the Great Hall opened, revealing Amara, Ron, Hermione, and numerous Order members. “I’m afraid it’s quite extensive.”

Harry blinked for one moment, imagining Dumbledore at the Head of the Great Hall, where he had seen him daily for many years. “How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night! Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who TRUSTED YOU, and killed him! Tell them.” Snape brandished his wand, aiming to attack Harry; before he could, Professor McGonagall stood in front of him.

Amara, Ron, Hermione, and the others took a step forward. A few of the members of Dumbledore’s Army stepped away from the crowd of students. Professor McGonagall threw every spell she could at Snape. In his cowardice, Snape Apparated away. A cheer rang out through the Great Hall, and light returned to the flaming lanterns. Before the joy could last very long, however, a cold, shrill voice impregnated everyone’s mind.

“Harry Potter…” Harry’s eyes glazed over as he stumbled backward onto the stone steps. Two students began screaming, and before anyone could help them, the voice continued. “I know that many of you would want to fight. Some of you may even think that to fight is wise… but this is a folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this, and none shall be harmed.” Harry’s face was blank. The words were a lie. They all knew it.

“Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched.” The voice of evil rang clearly, compelling obedience from those it tormented. “Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have one hour.”

~~~

Before the hour was up, Order members worked to protect the castle. Ron and Hermione went down to the Chamber of Secrets to retrieve another Basilisk fang while Amara and Harry split up in search of the Ravenclaw Horcrux.

Harry was starting in the Ravenclaw common room. If he brought this idea up to Amara first, she would have pointed out what a fruitless endeavor it would be. Instead, Amara found herself in the restricted section of the library. Perhaps there was some clue here.

Pacing through the bookshelves, Amara looked over the titles as swiftly as she could. One the side of one shelf, she found the crest of the Ravenclaw house. She stopped in front of it. Amara had been here numerous times and had never seen it before.

Suddenly, Dumbledore’s words rang through Amara’s mind. “Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.” Biting her lip anxiously, Amara brushed her fingers against the wings of the eagle on the crest. “I wish to see what you hold.” The silence in the library was deafening. She waited with bated breath until the crest began to turn, slowly embedding itself into the wood. Above her head, a compartment opened.

Within it was a diary… the last diary of Rowena Ravenclaw. Amara took the book, gingerly opening it while trying to find anything she could on the diadem. Her fingers stopped on the last page. A drawing of the diadem greeted her; below it were the words “to be bestowed upon my daughter, Helena, after my death.” Her eyes widened. The Grey Lady. Taking the diary with her, Amara ran to Ravenclaw tower as fast as she could.

The hour was up; Death Eaters had begun attacking the protective dome around the school. It was only a matter of time before they would infiltrate the castle. Just as Amara rounded the corner, she ran straight into Harry. “Harry! You need to speak to the Grey Lady! She’ll know the location of the Diadem.” Harry caught her by the shoulders, stabilizing them both. “I already did. It’s in the Room of Requirement.” Her eyes widened with confusion and recognition both.

The battle raged on above them. Hermione and Ron, miles below the ground, had destroyed the cup. For a moment, they just looked at each other. The water trickled around them. Their arms came around each other in a loving embrace; their lips met for the first time. Both knew they might die tonight. It didn’t matter. Hermione and Ron had denied their love long enough. Ron took her hand, vowing to not let it go.

Amara and Harry rushed up many flights of stairs. Ginny began running towards him. “Ginny! I-” She cut Harry off with a sweet kiss. “I know.” Amara’s steps had faltered for a second but she continued, letting Harry have a moment with Ginny amidst the horrors around them. She swallowed softly, blinking away tears. It was quite possible she would not get to tell Draco she loved him ever again.

Within minutes, Harry and Amara began searching the Room of Requirement. They split up to cover more ground, and Harry was the first to realize they weren’t alone. Draco, Goyle, and Zabini were ten paces away from him, all three of them pointing their wands at him. “You have something of mine. I’d like it back.” Draco had willingly let Harry snatch the wands from his hands that night, a fact they both knew. “What’s wrong with the one you have?” This conversation was more for the sake of Goyle and Zabini. “It’s my mother’s. It’s powerful… but it doesn’t quite understand me.”

Amara found herself deep into the room when she spotted it. Pixies were hiding within the piles of forgotten items and a few flew out when she tried to grab it. She made it back to Harry just as he asked Draco another question. “Why didn’t you tell her? Bellatrix. You knew it was me.” Amara stepped into Draco’s sight just then, and Goyle urged him to stun Harry. Draco did nothing but slightly lower his wand. Harry was reminded of the night in the Astronomy Tower just a year ago. Draco had lowered his wand in the memory of Amara once again.

Draco looked to Amara. The air was thinning around both of them. Suddenly the few steps between them were like a chasm of miles they had to cross to get to each other. Harry just observed the silent moment, noting Draco’s eyes and reactions. He really did love her. He had no choice. He was bound by his family. Without warning, Goyle shot “Stupefy!” at Hermione while Ron disarmed Zabini. Someone -Amara couldn’t see who- cast Avada Kadavra. In her haste to deflect it, the diadem slipped from her fingers; it flew to the top of a heap of junk as the spell ricocheted off of it.

Ron ran after Goyle and Zabini. Draco and Amara were both frozen for just one more moment before Harry called for her help. She was the first to tear her eyes away. Draco watched her climb the precarious pile before he, too, ran off. Harry grabbed the diadem and tossed it down to Amara who let it fall into Hermione’s waiting hands. Just then, Ron’s screams and a strange light began to fill the grand room. “GOYLE SET THE BLOODY PLACE ON FIRE.” He grabbed Hermione’s hand and pulled her along with him, running for the door.

This was no ordinary fire; this was Fiendfyre, a dangerous form of dark magic. Harry took Amara’s hand and pulled her along, but the fire had a mind of its own. It found them wherever they ran. Before it could corner them, Harry was able to cast a wall from Aguamenti to protect them. Ron stumbled to the ground and fell against four broomsticks. Before they could make their escape, Harry glanced back to see Draco and Zabini clutching onto a chest for dear life as the fire roared below them. “Harry!”

Amara’s eyes followed Harry’s and she immediately turned around. “WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS SHE DOING?” Ron screamed after Amara, but she heard nothing. “We can’t leave them!” Harry tried to reason with Ron, quickly following after Amara. “He’s joking, right?” Amara reached them first and tried to grab Draco’s hand without losing her momentum. His fingers grazed her palm before they came down to clutch the drawer once more. “If we die for them, Amara, I’m gonna kill you!” Harry’s hand grabbed Draco’s and Ron grabbed Zabini. Hermione and Amara led them out as the room began to crumble around them. The six hit the ground hard and Amara stabbed the Diadem, kicking it into the Room of Requirement and letting the fire engulf it.

Amara fell backward as the dark soul within it escaped, encroaching on hers. Draco made it to her before her head hit the ground. The pain in her eyes reminded Draco of the night just a month ago, when he listened to the girl he loved scream as she was tortured. He couldn’t do anything to help her then, but she was with him now. “Amara…” A soft sob escaped Amara’s lips as a tear rolled down Draco’s cheek. They were two sides of the same Galleon; they always had been. Draco kissed her deeply, almost furiously, as if he were trying to make sure she was real and alive. Amara clung to his blazer, her ashen fingers clutching the fabric and holding him close. He pulled away abruptly as his arm began to sting.

Walking away from her was the hardest thing Draco had ever done. He let his fingers brush against her cheek just once before he ran off. Hermione and Harry knew of their love for a long time now, and Ron had chosen to ignore it. He couldn’t any longer. When Amara straightened up, she saw Harry’s eyes glazed over as he fell into another vision.

~~~

The castle was silent and desolate. They had lost so many loved ones. Harry was nowhere to be found. Amara, Ron, and Hermione sat on the crumbling stone stairs. Harry was descending them, his eyes blank. “Harry!” Ron was the first to see him. His voice mellowed when he saw Harry’s expression. “We thought you’d gone to the forest.”

“I’m going there now.” His voice was determined yet lifeless at the same time. Amara and Hermione knew he had figured it out. “Are you mad?” Ron stood in disbelief, staring at the girls who said nothing. “No. You can’t give yourself up to him.” Silent tears began streaming down Amara’s cheeks and she reached for Hermione’s hand. She, too, nodded. Her lashes were decorated with teardrops that threatened to spill over any moment. “There’s a reason I can hear them. The Horcruxes.”

Amara’s breath caught in her chest and suffocated her as if it was being squeezed by a boa constrictor. “I think I’ve known for a while… and I think Hermione and Amara have too.” Hermione’s tears were no longer silent. “I’ll go with you.” Amara ran forward and threw her arms around Harry. He hugged her tight… his best friend… his sister. “No… kill the snake. Kill the snake and then it’s just him.” Hermione moved to hug him too; Harry and Ron looked at each other with broken eyes. Harry had to be the one to pull away. He couldn’t glance back as he walked towards his death. He couldn’t.

Harry walked the empty grounds, looking at the corridor where Fred and George showed him the Marauder's Map. Behind him was the fountain where he launched himself into the sky on his Firebolt for the first time. The Forbidden Forest was where he served his first detention. The Snitch weighed heavily in his pocket. He took it out and read the words once more: I open at the close.

“I’m ready to die.” His breath shook as he pressed the cool gold to his lips. From within it rose a black diamond stone. The Resurrection Stone. Harry took it in his hand and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he saw his mother standing before him. Next to her was his father. Remus and Sirius stood to his right, and Ambrosi stood to his left. Lily held her hand out to Harry, but he could not touch it. “You’ve been so brave, sweetheart.”

“Why are you here?” He swallowed softly, turning to look at them all. A soft, loving smile was on his mother’s lips. “We never left.” Surrounded by his loved ones, Harry’s fears began to resurface. “D-does it hurt? Dying.” Sirius absorbed the face of his godson and tried to reassure him as gently as possible. “Quicker than falling asleep.” His eyes fell on Ambrosi standing next to his father. “Ambrosi…. It was hard to remember them… your words. But I had to. I did.” Ambrosi nodded warmly, his eyes gleaming with the wisdom Harry found sanctuary in. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted any of you to die for me. And Remus, your son-” Tears brewed in Harry’s eyes now. They’d been held back for who knew how long.

“Others will tell him what his mother and father died for. One day, he’ll understand.” Swallowing his emotions away, he looked upon their faces -their mirages- one last time. “You’ll stay with me?” James was the one to respond, “Until the end.”

“And he won’t see you?” Ambrosi denied this, and Sirius pointed to his heart. “We’re here, you see.” A few minutes ago, Harry had said he was ready to die. Now, he was. “Stay close to me.”

“Always.”

~~~

As the early hours of the morning came upon them, Voldemort brought his army back to Hogwarts. At the sight of them, people came out from the Great Hall. Neville led the way, the Sorting Hat clutched in his hand.

“Who is that? Who’s that Hagrid’s carrying?” Tears spilled from Hagrid’s eyes. Nagini slithered at Voldemort’s side maliciously. “Neville, who is it?” Hermione and Ron stood silently, knowing what had happened but not ready to believe it yet. “Harry Potter is dead!” Amara’s eyes closed in pain as Ginny’s pained screams of anguish echoed around the broken stone. Draco held Amara’s hand. His face, too, was crumpled in hopelessness.

“Silence! Stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me.” Voldemort was victorious. It was time for his regime to begin. “Harry Potter is dead!” Behind him, the Death Eaters cackled. All but Narcissa and Lucius, whose eyes were on Draco and Amara across the courtyard. “And now is the time to declare yourself.”

Voldemort’s glee was met with silence. “Come forward and join us… or die.” No one moved. “Draco!” Lucius urged Draco to come, and he didn’t move. His grip on Amara’s hand tightened, and he looked into her defeated hazel eyes. “Draco… Come.” His mother’s voice was one he couldn’t deny. Amara gave him the briefest of nods, but she understood. His hand slipped away from hers once more. Something in Amara hardened painfully. She had loved Draco for years and would love him forever. Yet, he would always be the one that got away.

Draco’s feet felt like lead as he soldiered across the courtyard. Voldemort appraised him, wrapping his arms around him awkwardly. “Well done, Draco. Well done.” Draco went to join his mother, who pulled close to her. Her face was as emotionless as could be, but her eyes spoke volumes. If she could, she would protect Amara too. But she knew the chances of that were very slim.

Neville limped forward too. Ginny and Arthur Weasley looked at him in shock. “Well, I must say I’d hoped for better.” Voldemort’s followers chuckled again. From behind them, Hermione’s face was etched with pain and the tear stains seemed to never dry. “And who might you be, young man?”

Despite everything, Neville’s voice was strong as he said his name, once again earning laughter, some of it especially loud at his last name. “Well, Neville, I’m sure we can find a place for you in our ranks.” “I’d like to say something.” Neville all but cut Voldemort off. This manner of foolish bravery amused him. “Well, Neville, I’m sure we’d all be fascinated to hear what you have to say.”

“It doesn’t matter that Harry’s gone.” If Amara didn’t know any better, she’d have sworn Harry’s arm had moved. “Stand down, Neville.” “People die every day! Friends… family… Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he’s still with us! In here!” Neville pointed to his heart and Voldemort’s grin grew wider and wider as he listened. “And so is Fred, and Ambrosi… Remus… Tonks… All of them. They didn’t die in vain. But you will!”

Voldemort’s smile turned into laughter. Surely there was nothing else left. “Because you’re wrong!” Amara made her way up to Neville, standing next to him in solidarity. “Tom Marvolo Riddle…” Amara’s voice was quiet, but everyone could hear it. “How many of your followers know of your true identity? How many know that your blood is dirty, by your own definition? Do they know that you are the son of a witch and a muggle… one proclaiming himself a Lord?” Voldemort’s jubilation vanished. No one had the audacity to speak to him in this way. Ever. “Harry’s heart did beat for us! For all of us!” Neville brandished the Sword from the Sorting Hat. “No matter how many followers you gather, they will never respect you the way we respect Harry.” Before Voldemort could attack them, Harry fell out of Hagrid’s arms, attacking Nagini.

A renewed sense of hope spread across the crowd, a renewed will to fight. They would win. Harry ran, avoiding Voldemort’s attacks. Neville and Amara’s words hit them deeply. Death Eaters began Apparating away. From the corner of her eye, Amara saw Narcissa and Lucius running from the castle. It was then she gave up hope of seeing him again.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amara regrouped in front of the gates. “I’ll lure him into the castle. We have to kill the snake.” Neville ran forward, the Sword of Gryffindor in the air. Before he could attack, Voldemort cast him back and Apparated away with Nagini. Spells were flying everywhere, and at times it was difficult to differentiate who to protect and who to attack.

Minutes later, when Neville’s eyes opened, he was disoriented as well. Green, red, and white bursts of magic were all around him. His eyes fell on the Sword a few feet behind it. He took it up quickly, rushing to find the snake. Nagini was being distracted by Hermione as Ron attempted to stab her with a Basilisk fang. Before he could, she turned to him, hissing and snapping at him.

Voldemort and Harry collapsed in the courtyard. This was it. Their wands met, just like they had three years ago. Hermione and Ron were running from Nagini. Amara attempted to cast spells to deter her but it was no use. She could not watch her friends die. Before Nagini got any closer, however, Neville sliced her in two. She exploded into a dark cloud.

There was just him. Harry felt Voldemort falter as a piece of his soul disintegrated. He cast against him with fervor, and Voldemort could not hold it back for long. He, too, disintegrated, crumbling into dust and ash like any other in the yard. It was over.

~~~

Harry walked through the Great Hall with a serene smile on his face. They had lost many, but they would not lose any more to darkness. Aberforth chatted with Dean and Seamus. Professor Slughorn believed it was his time to retire and was telling this to Professor Sprout. Harry walked to Hagrid, who gave him a loving hug with a chuckle of peace.

Amara was helping Madame Pomfrey administer healing potions when she saw Harry. Setting the potion down, Amara came to join him; Hermione and Ron did as well. The four walked out onto the bridge. The destruction wasn’t wearing down on them. The sun and the promise of a new beginning were both coming to fruition.

Harry stared down into the chasm below, the Elder Wand in his hand. “Why didn’t it work for him? The Elder Wand.” Amara sat on the ledge of the bridge, her feet dangling down over the edge. “It answered to someone else. When he killed Snape, he thought the wand would become his. But the thing is, the wand never belonged to Snape.” Harry’s eyes looked down at Amara, pausing before he continued explaining.

“It was Draco who disarmed Dumbledore that night in the Astronomy Tower. From that moment on, the wand answered to him. Until… the other night, when Malfoy let me disarm him at Malfoy Manor.” Amara laid back onto the bridge, closing her eyes and letting the sun sink into her skin. “So that means…”

“It’s Harry’s.” Harry came to lay next to Amara. “What do we do with it?” Ron seemed giddy with excitement. “We?” Hermione was flabbergasted at the insinuation. “Just saying… that’s the most powerful wand in the world. With that… we’d be invincible.” Harry stared at the wand for a moment, watching the sleek wood shine in the moonlight. Then, he snapped it in two, sat up, and handed half of it to Amara.

Amara twirled it over in her fingers for a moment. The wand once belonged to Draco. She had given up hope of being with him, but she had this small piece of him. They shared a look, and then, at the same time, Harry and Amara threw the pieces of the wand away below the bridge. Ron and Hermione stared at the pieces flying through the air in surprise. They came to sit next to Harry and Amara. Amara’s arm came around Hermione’s shoulders; Harry grinned at Ron.

It was a real smile. There they sat, hand and hand, just as they had years ago. None of the four friends were afraid. The bright depths spread out below them like the future ahead.

Our heroes have triumphed and can lead peaceful, calmer lives from now on.

Thank you to everyone who is reading my story. It truly means so, so much to me to share this with you. The Fall semester of my university has begun, but I am already working on the third and final part of this mini series!

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me, please! I’d love your feedback/comments/reactions/constructive criticisms :)

Lots of love, JustAThoughtfulAngel <3

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