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Stone Angels	By : StarlightSoul Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 12377 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Disclaimer-
I don�t own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling.

Authors Notes-
Well, it�s done and in record time. This chapter has been running through my
mind since I posted the second chapter�.
I�ve been told that this chapter is disturbing, and in a way I agree.
Remember, this is war. I�m sorry if this chapter gives anyone a lot of
questions, I promise they will be answered in the next couple of chapters.
Also, I realize that Professor Snape is very OOC in this chapter but he will go
back to his normal self when they return to Hogwarts.

Stone Angels

Back to the Beginning

�Ah, my most faithful Narcissa,�
hissed the hooded man.

�My Lord.�
She kissed the hem of his robes before continuing, �You requested my presence,
Exalted One. You honor me.�

�I wish for you to retrieve
something for me, Pet. Remus Lupin has appeared at Godrics Hollow, He has
information that I want. Bring him to me. Destroy the village, leave no house
standing.�

�How many Death Eaters do I have at
my disposal, My Lord?�

�Forty new recruits,� he chuckled,
�Teach them well, Pet.�

Narcissa turned to the cloaked men
behind her and studied them, �A game, I think, is in order. Round up the
Muggles and bring them to me. If they fight back kill them in their homes.
Level the village but do not kill Lupin. The Death Eater with the most creative
way to destroy the houses will be rewarded.�

~*~

Hermione wandered down the east
wing of the house. It was overwhelming to think about all of it all belonging
to her, so she shut her mind off. With her feet leading the way, she was
surprised to find herself entering the huge ball room. To the right of the
door, stood a large professional bar with small round tables along the same
wall. On the western corners were two dark stages and the rest of the walls
were covered in etched mirrors.

�You look sad dear.� Hermione was
startled to come face to face with a ghost, �You must be the new Lady of the
house.�

�Who are you?� asked Hermione
softly.

�Lady Titania,� answered the woman.

Hermione studied her for a moment,
�Are there many ghosts in Rose Haven?�

�Not really. Each one of us has a
reason for being on this plane and with each Lady of Rose Haven some of us go
to rest. Sometimes, we gain a new ghost and some of us are doomed to be here
forever.�

�Why are you here?� asked Hermione.

�If it were so simple I�d be
resting peacefully.� She walked through the wall and disappeared.

�Well, that went well,� Hermione
sighed.

The wide open floor caught her
attention. Hesitantly, she took out her wand and transfigured the nearest bar
stool into a pair of Pointe slippers. A second flick of her wand and the well
kept instruments on one stage came to life. Her Muggle jeans and shirt were
changed to an emerald leotard and skirt before she dropped gracefully to the
floor and put on her shoes.

She stood with fluid grace, her
long ringlets flowing around her like an ocean wave. The sad yet beautiful
notes of the Moonlight Sonata washed over her, pushing away all thought. She
let it go, the worries of the world lifting off her shoulder as she let the
music posses her. There was nothing but music and emotion. She gave herself
over to the freedom of the music letting it take her wherever it went.

The sound of nails clicking on the
floor brought her sharply back to the reality of the room. Facing the door, she
came face to face with Severus Snape and Lobeta. A blush rose in her cheeks
with the realization that she was being watched.

�P�Professor Snape,� Hermione
stammered. She flicked her wand and the music stopped, �I didn�t realize anyone
was around.�

�That was very beautiful Miss
Granger,� smiled Snape.

�Thank you,� She said with a blush.

�Do you plan on joining us for
dinner or are you returning to the music?� he asked silkily.

Her blush flared once more as she
looked at the clock, �I lost track of time. I didn�t realize it was so close to
dinner time.� A flick of her wand returned her clothing to normal and she
removed her shoes. �Is your mother happy with her room?�

�Yes. Last I saw her she and Molly
were deep in conversation,� he replied before offering her his arm, �Shall we?�

�Thank you,� replied Hermione
taking his arm.

The two of them began the long trek
to the dining room in silence. They were nearing the stairs when a familiar
voice caught their attention.

�Do you know where we�re going?�
asked Blaise softly.

�Violet gave me really strange
directions,� replied Pansy.

�Pansy, Blaise,� called Hermione
with a smile, �Are you lost yet?�

�I think pretty thoroughly,�
laughed Pansy. She glanced through the glass walls and into the pool, �Does
anyone here know how to swim?�

�A few of us.�
She smiled before continuing, �Are you ready to meet everyone that�s here?�

Pansy paled but nodded, �as we�ll
ever be I think.�

Hermione nodded and led the way,
her arm still on Snape�s. Pansy and Blaise kept careful watch of where they
went in hopes of learning the way. It wasn�t until they reached the doors to
the Dining room that Pansy stopped them.

�Are your friends okay with this
Hermione? I know we were both afraid of how they would react,� Pansy said
nervously.

�They will accept you or face me,�
Hermione replied and smiled sweetly.

�You�re really scary sometimes, do
you know?� asked Draco.

�I�ve been told a few times.�

~*~

Remus lowered his wand as he
surveyed his accomplishments for the day. The house at Godrics Hollow had been
severely damaged during Voldemort�s first attack. Time and weather had done the
rest. The roof was nearly completely collapsed and water had damaged the rooms
below. It had taken nearly an entire afternoon just to secure a room for him to
stay in the night before.

Night had been the hardest. Without
the light to work by, he had nothing to do but remember. Memories are a harsh
mistress, even for those that have lived a quiet life and his life had been
anything but quiet. Ghosts of his past, the good and the bad, flitted through
his mind causing him to question everything but most importantly Harry.

Deciding that another night alone
with his memories would not be a good idea, Remus Lupin used a quick spell to
clean up. The village of Godrics
Hollow was only a short walk away, and he had an
old friend to visit. He was just about to pass the gate when a spell flew over
his head.

�Fuck,� swore Lupin drawing his
wand.

~*~

Narcissa heard a spell muttered and
whipped around to face the man, �You Fool! Crucio!� She
watched the man wither for several moments, before letting the spell end, �If
you�re going to use a spell, make sure to hit the target.� She turned to the
group of Death Eaters, a deadly glint in her eyes, �Any more mistakes and you
will wish for death. Retrieve Lupin so we may join the fun.�

~*~

Remus made a mad dash for the ruins
of the Potter home. Once he was inside the safety of the only solid room, he turned
to his borrowed owl.

�Take this to Rose Haven and any of
the occupants there.� He scribbled a short note and signed it �Moony� before
releasing it and the owl.

He watched as several spells tried
to stop the message from escape but the owl was canny and avoided all of them.
With a sigh, he opened his pocket watch and removed something from within.

�I had hoped to never need to use
this,� he grumbled.

Placing the small object on the
floor, he enlarged it. When he was finished, a Scythe with intricate runes
covering the mythrill blade lay before him. One
callused hand fluttered over it before he allowed himself to pick up the
weapon. As soon as he gripped it, a wash of warm magic flowed through his body.
He felt his body change, his bones and muscles altering to support his wolfish
strength and speed. Some of the runes on the handle activated, turning blood
red. As the first Death Eater approached his door, he surprised the magic
dependant wizard with his new appearance and physical attack.

~*~

Hermione sat between Harry and
Pansy and gazed around the table. Pansy was holding a very exuberant
conversation with Ginny while Harry, Ron, and Draco were engrossed in a
Quidditch discussion. Minerva McGonagall ate slowly, most of her attention on
an ancient book on Transfiguration. Molly Weasley spoke with Serenity Snape while
discretely eyeing her mischievous sons whom were secretively whispering with
Arianna and Violet. To her surprise, Professor Snape and Bill sat close
together eagerly discussing curse breaking.

�Professor McGonagall, I thought
Professor Dumbledore was going to join us tonight?� said Hermione.

�The Minister called on him again
and he was unable to return,� replied the older woman.

Hermione was about to return to her
meal when an owl soared in and dropped a note nearly in her soup.

�Hey, that�s Remus� owl,� said
Harry offering it a piece of his meat. Reaching up to run his hand along it�s
back, his eyes widened when he came into contact with singed feathers, �Professor
Snape, it�s feathers are singed.�

�You should see this as well,� said
Hermione passing the note towards Professor Snape.

As the note passed Harry, he
quickly read through it. He paled drastically and Draco was forced to pry the
parchment from his fingers. While Snape read through the note, the dark haired
Gryffindor jumped from his seat and took off running. Draco, Ron, and Ginny
rushed to stop him but he was already too far ahead.

�Fuck!� bellowed Snape. �I cannot
go, or it would blow my cover. Follow him; he�s headed to Godric�s Hollow!
Remus is under attack but doesn�t know how many Death Eaters there are. I�ll
Floo Dumbledore and send Aurors. Arianna and Violet will be fine here with me.
Hurry up before that fool gets himself killed.�

~*~

Narcissa surveyed the damage before
her. Five dead Death Eaters lay just outside the door to the partially rebuilt
Potter home. Each Death Eater she sent in was quickly slaughtered by the scythe
wielding wizard. Every spell thrown at him was easily reflected off the Mithrill
blade. Those that didn�t back away then were quickly cut down by a single swing
of the weapon.

�Lady, we�ve nearly finished
rounding up the Muggles and they are being locked into the large church.
Several wizarding families are fighting with our forces.�

�Destroy the building around them,�
hissed Narcissa, �I have other things to worry about here.�

�Yes, My Lady,� replied the Death
Eater before he flew off on his broom.

�Sonorus.�
She tapped her wand to her throat before beginning, �Lupin, do you know what�s
happening in the village?�

Remus heard but refused to reply.

�No response, I�ll take it as a no.
Death Eaters have swarmed the town. You and I both know that this place is
populated by Muggles so I�m going to give you a choice. Give yourself up and
I�ll let the Muggles go.�

�You must think I�m stupid,�
laughed Remus. �If I give myself up, you�ll kill them all just because you
can.�

�Finite incantatem.� Narcissa turned to the last Death Eater
left with her, �Tell the others that the games may begin. Burn the church with
the Muggles inside.�

The mask covered Death Eater
muttered a spell to secure his hood and mask before taking to his broom. Flying
as high as he could, he shot red sparks signaling the start of the games. In
the distance he could see the craters of the first neighborhood to be cleaned
out. On the far side of the town, bright red sparks fell from the sky engulfing
another house in merciless fire. Much closer to his position, a house burst
with shards of ice, tiny pieces flying through the air to slice through
anything in their paths. Throughout the small town the houses were falling to
the creatively destructive spells of the new generation Death Eaters. With the
first part of his orders accomplished, he made his way towards the church where
he could personally complete his orders.

~*~

Draco, Ginny, and Ron barely
managed to catch up to Harry as he reached the apparation point. Neither was
able to stop him as he apparated away dragging Draco along with him. Ron wasn�t
sure what to do until he heard Hermione yelling from behind him.

�Follow him, Ron. We�re right
behind you. Keep him safe!� She yelled before he grabbed Ginny and apparated.

�You know the way?� asked Pansy.

�Harry, Ron, and I went to Godric�s
Hollow last term,� explained Hermione, �Harry needed to see where his parents
lived. He was even mistaken for his father by a restaurant owner. I can only
apparate with one of you.�

�I�ll take someone,� said Bill
taking Blaise�s arm, �Charlie and I helped Remus tear
down the wards earlier this summer.�

�We need to try and follow Harry,�
she said distractedly, �I think I know where he�s gone so just try to follow.
If we get separated I�ll throw up violet sparks so you can find us.� She apparated away without waiting for a response from the eldest
red head.

The air was filled with smoke
wherever Harry and Draco landed. A second later, Draco could make out Ron and
Ginny�s red hair. Harry was struggling to get out of Draco�s grasp and it took
all Draco had to keep him there.

�Let me go, Malfoy! I have to get
to Remus! Get the fuck off me!� cried Harry as he struggled.

�I can�t do that, Potter, you�ll
just get yourself killed and then you won�t be any help to anyone,� responded
Draco hotly.

�He�s all I have left of my Parents,
we have to save him!�

�Harry James Potter!� Draco whirled
in time to see Hermione wind back before her hand came into contact with
Harry�s face. �Pull yourself together. Running in blindly will only get you
killed.� Her words were punctuated by another building blowing up and filling
the air with more dust and smoke.

�They�re destroying the town,� said
Ginny wide eyed.

�We can�t just sit here, Hermione.�
Harry begged her with his eyes.

�It�s probably swarming with Death
Eaters,� warned Draco.

�You�re right, I�m supposed to send
up sparks for the other to find us but it will lead the Death Eaters right to
us.� Hermione had her wand out in preparation.

�Send them up then we run for that
old church,� said Ron, �Leave a mark on the ground that Bill will recognize.�

Hermione tapped her wand on her
hair causing it to braid securely, �Quickly draw a cross. I�ll send up sparks.�

Draco took out his wand, �I have an
idea. Give me a piece of your hair Ron.� Ron did as he was told. �Exibio Mihi Domos,�
said Draco as he tapped the hair then drew a glowing cross in the air at chest
level. A moment after it was drawn, it disappeared.

�What did you do?� asked Ron.

�It�s keyed to only appear to
someone related to you,� replied Draco.

�Alright, let�s go,� said Hermione
throwing up sparks.

The six of them took off running
towards the church. The air around them was thick, causing them to cough and
choke while they ran. They had been running for nearly five minutes when a
large explosion knocked them from their feet.

�Does it seem like the destruction
is escalating?� asked Pansy rubbing her knees.

�It does,� Ginny answered. �It�s
like they�re trying to out do each other.�

�Where are all of the people?�
questioned Harry. He was looking around at the empty houses. Their doors were
opened and the power had been knocked out sometime in the attack.

�They probably rounded them all up
in one place,� began Draco thoughtfully, �They�re probably in the biggest
building.�

�That�s the church,� said Ron as he
helped Hermione to her feet.

�Hey, you there, stop!� Pansy
turned to find herself face to face with a Death Eater. Without giving him a
chance to cast a spell, she slammed the side of her hand into his throat.

�Stupify,�
said Hermione before turning to Pansy, �Nice work.�

�Most Death Eaters don�t know how
to fight physically,� explained Pansy, �something about wizards being above
Muggle fist fighting.�

�Let�s go,� ordered Harry, �We can
talk about this stuff later.�

They continued their trek towards
the church through the dust and smoke. The heat of fires combined with the need
to run made sweat run uncomfortably down their faces and wand grips
treacherous. They ran into numerous Death Eaters along the way, only stopping
once to battle. Each time they encountered a Death Eater; they would stun and
bind them. The closer they got to the church the more Death Eaters they faced.

�The church is just up ahead,� said
Hermione.

�They must be keeping the Muggles
there,� Draco said though it was hard to hear through the destruction around
them.

�This probably isn�t the best place
to rest,� warned Ron. �With the way they�ve been destroying the place, this
building could go at any time.�

�He has a point. Let�s move to the
edge of the forest. We can wait for the others to join us there,� said Harry,
�I hope they have Remus.�

~*~

Bill apparated
into to a small clearing just outside Godric�s Hollow. A few moments
later they were followed by Charlie and Neville then Minerva and Luna. Nearby
they could hear Narcissa Malfoy trying to con Remus out of the house.

�She must think he�s stupid,� began
the blond, �It�s obvious that she�ll kill the Muggles anyway.�

�There are Hermione�s sparks,� said
Neville. They�re not too far away.�

�Let�s get Lupin and get out of here,�
Charlie said as several Death Eaters apparated in to talk to Narcissa.

�Lady Narcissa, we went to the
sparks but there wasn�t anyone there. They games have begun as well.�

�Take the Wolf. Make sure he
doesn�t escape. When I return, we�ll subdue him and return to our Lord.� She apparated away without another word.

�That makes things a little
better,� said Professor McGonagall softly, �Stun them on the count of three. Ready, one, two, three. Stupify.�

The three Death Eaters slumped to
the ground in one tangled heap. Charlie quickly bound all of them while Bill
rushed towards the house and Remus. He had just passed the gate when he came
across the dead Death Eaters.

�Remus, come on out,� called Bill,
�We�ve got to go find Harry.�

�Where�s Harry?� asked Remus as he
stepped outside. The scythe was still in his hand.

�Nice trinket,� commented Charlie
as he joined his brother.

�Harry took off to find you.
Hermione and the others are trying to find him and calm him down but Godric�s
Hollow is being destroyed.�

�Let�s go,� said Remus. Worry
creased his worn face.

�Mr. Longbottom, you saw the
sparks, please lead the way,� instructed Professor McGonagall.

�Yes, Ma�am,� Neville said before
leading them at a fast pace towards the place where he saw the sparks.

They had been running for several
moments when a huge explosion ripped through the area knocking everyone but
Bill off their feet. He helped Minerva to her feet while the others staggered
to theirs. They had only gone a few more steps when a cross flared to life in
the air.

�That�s Draco�s doing,� said
Blaise, �We use that kind of spell to warn each other at school. Is there a
church nearby?�

�Narcissa has the Muggles locked in
the large church,� Remus informed them, �They�re also playing a game. The Death
Eater to most creatively destroy a house will be rewarded.�

�That�s horrible!� exclaimed Luna.

�Let�s go,� demanded Remus, �The
fastest way is straight through the town.�

They ran down the main street of
Godric�s Hollow with little care for the buildings around them. The path was
cleared, except for the occasional stunned and bound Death Eater left in the
middle of the street. They made excellent speed until their path was blocked by
a building that was melting like ice cream. Combining their strength, Bill,
Remus, McGonagall, and Charlie were able to vanish the
toxic ooze in their path. As they made their way down the last couple blocks to
the church, the sounds of yelling and spells being cast reached their ears.

~*~

They only made it a few steps
before they were spotted and chaos ensued. They had been spotted and twenty
Death Eaters stood between them and the church. Spells filled the air as they
were thrown back and forth. Magic seemed to burn the air itself. The dust and
smoke blurred their vision and burned their lungs as they fought for their
lives. They were out numbered and under experienced but holding their own
against the slowly growing number of Death Eaters.

Ginny and Ron moved to fight back
to back. Ginny, her red hair swirling around her like a bloody halo, quickly
cast defensive spells to protect the two of them. While his sister protected
them, Ron attacked with amazing accuracy. Spell after spell left his wand,
ranging from the most simple stupefy to very complex sleep inducing spells.
They were a team to be feared though they didn�t know it.

Hermione and Pansy fought together
as well. The first couple of Death Eaters moved too close to the taller more
muscular Pansy were easily taken down without her wand. From then on they
stayed back, preferring to cast their spells from a distance rather than risk a
physical attack. When the spells aimed at them became too difficult to dodge, Hermione
cast Mihi Custos, a
shielding charm of her own design.

Harry and Draco fought their way
through the crowd side by side. With each step they took, the-boy-who-lived
seemed to radiate more and more power. When he took on a silvery glow, Draco
began to worry about Harry�s lack of control when his emotions rule. By the
time they were half way through the crowd, energy crackled around the dark
haired boy and most spells thrown at him were simply reflected by the wild
energy.

Just as they broke through the
lines of Death Eaters one raised his wand and the inside of the church burst
into flames. Screams filled the air as the fire consumed the church at an
accelerated pace. Men, women, and children pounded on the glass and the doors
and begged to be let out even as the flames consumed them.

Draco was knocked from his feet as
Harry turned on the Death Eater responsible for setting the church aflame.
�Aveda Kedavra!� he yelled. Everyone watched as the Death Eater crumpled to the
ground like a discarded marionette. They were so
surprised as they watched him fall that they never saw Harry bounce off the
wards around the church. No one even realized he had approached it until they
heard him yell, �No!�

Hermione barely had time to throw
her new shielding charm around Ron, Ginny, and Pansy before Harry�s pent up
magic exploded outwards. All around them the Death Eaters fell, the remaining
building were destroyed, and the wards around the church shattered.

~*~

Remus watched stunned as the Death
Eater fell at Harry�s hand. The group with him continued running towards him as
he tried to push through the wards around the church. Harry�s anguished cry
pierced the night air and it was only Bill�s curse breaker reflexes that
protected the group from the magic surge that spread through the area. All
around them the last of the buildings exploded and the Death Eaters fell.

Bill had just let down his
shielding charm when they saw Harry push his way into the burning church.

~*~

Harry slammed his body against the
heavy wood doors of the church until it caved in with a crack. He didn�t care
about the fire, only the people within. He couldn�t hear the screams of his
friends as he ran headlong into the burning building but he strained to hear
some sound of life. The smell in the building was terrifying, a greasy slime
that stuck in his throat and gagged him. He knew he didn�t have much time
before the heat and smoke would overcome him but he pushed on.

Just as he was ready to give up he
heard it. A tiny coughing sound from the corner drew his attention. He pushed
his way through the sea of bodies to a woman hunched in the corner. Placing one
hand on her shoulder, he turned her around. As her dead body flopped, doll
like, to the floor he came face to face with a green eyed child with a mass of
honey curls. When she began coughing again, Harry seemed to come back to his
senses and quickly cast a bubble head charm on each of them.

�Come on, we have to get out of
here,� said Harry soothingly, �I won�t hurt you.�

He gently picked her up and tried
to make his way back to the door of the church. The fire, having had time to
spread to the roof, was all around the two of them and the child clung to him.
The roof on the far side of the room collapsed sending sparks at Harry, burning
his back and shoulders. A grunt of pain escaped him causing the child to
whimper into his chest.

Time seemed to have stopped for
Harry as he pushed and stumbled over the bodies of the Muggles. The smell of
burning flesh stung his nose and threatened to empty his stomach. His lungs
hurt from all of the smoke, dust, and debris that he had inhaled. Oh, was he
tired. His whole body shook in exhaustion but he knew he had to get back out of
the building. The adrenalin that had kept him moving after his magic surged was
quickly waning. It was then that he saw it, the door leading to the cool night
air. He pushed his body to reach that safety.

If he looked, his sharp eyes could
see his friends just outside the doors, praying that he reach them. He would
have too, if he hadn�t tripped on one of the bodies. Just inside the heat of
the fire he hit his knees was bone jarring force. His vision was graying, the
exhaustion pulling him into oblivion. His vision suddenly cleared as strong
hands gripped his arms, dragging him to his feet. Looking from side to side, he
found Bill and Charlie dragging him as he clung to the teary eyed little girl.

Then he was free. The cool night
air was painful against his burned skin but he relished in the feel of it.
Tears flowed down his cheeks unchecked. Someone tried to pull the child from
his arms but she screamed and he clung to her with trembling arms. Loud pops
sounded all around them as Aurors filled the courtyard in front of the burning
church. Someone touched his cheek and he looked up to find Draco�s worried gray
eyes.

�I couldn�t save anyone else,�
rasped Harry, �She�s the only one.�

�She�s a Muggle born, Harry,�
explained Draco, �Her magic protected her from the fire until you could get to
her.�

�I couldn�t save anyone else.� The
pain and shock in his eyes caused Draco�s eyes to widen.

�You can�t save everyone, Harry,�
Draco replied trying to sooth him. �Professor, we need to take him home.�

�I�ll stay and talk to the Aurors,�
said Remus, �take them home. Don�t let him try to apparate.�

�I�ll take them,� said Bill, �I�m
trained to apparate with as many as three other people.� The tall red head
knelt down next to Harry and his charge and carefully put a hand on each of
them before apparating back to Rose Haven.

They had barely stepped off the
apparition point when Charlie appeared followed closely by the rest of their
party.

When Draco appeared he hurried to
Harry�s side, �Harry, if she�ll let me, will you please let me carry her?�

Harry looked down at the little
girl before nodding, �Will you let my friend take care of you?�

Big green eyes, which reminded him
of Harry�s, peered intently at Draco for a moment before nodding and holding
her arms out to Draco. Without the responsibility of the little girl, Harry
sagged against Bill and Charlie.

�Come on Harry,� said Charlie as he
carefully lifted the skinny boy, �let�s get you in to Mum.�

Molly and her army of House elves
moved into action flawlessly. Injuries were quickly assessed and orders given. Harry,
Draco, and the little girl found themselves in the care of Severus Snape as
they were quickly ushered away to their own apartments.

�Draco, are you injured?� asked
Severus as he carried the exhausted young wizard to bed.

�No, just before his magic surged,
Harry threw a shielding spell around me.�

�See if you can get the child to
tell you anything while I care for his burns,� ordered Snape.

�Mimsy,� called Draco.

�Yes, Master Draco, can Mimsy help
you?� inquired the house elf.

�Mimsy, are there any toys here?�

�Yes, Master Draco,� replied Mimsy
glancing at the child, �Would Master Draco be wanting
toys for the small one?�

�Yes, Mimsy, would you also bring
us something to eat that little kids like. I don�t know what she likes.�

�Yes, Master Draco, Mimsy knows
just what to get.� The small House Elf wagged its ears happily before
apparating away.

Draco, still carrying the strangely
quiet child, made his way into the bathroom where he filled a large dish with
warm soapy water. Adding a wash cloth to the basin, and a fluffy towel over his
arm, he easily levitated the bowl back to the common room.

He carefully placed the bowl on the
table and turned his attention to the girl, �Is it okay if you sit on the
table?� She looked from the table to the floor and crinkled her eyebrows, �I�ll
sit right here, I won�t let you fall.� She studied him for a moment before
nodding slightly.

Draco carefully set her on the
table in front of him and sat in the chair. Her hand, now free of its grip,
moved to stick her thumb in her mouth but Draco quickly stopped her. Soot and
dirt covered most of her skin and clothing making Draco cringe at the thought
of what he probably looked like. With a sigh, he cast a warming charm on the
bowl and began by washing the girl�s face.

�My name�s Draco,� he began softly,
�What�s your name, sweetie?�

The girl opened her mouth as though
she was going to speak but nothing came out. Tears welled up in here vibrant
green eyes. Draco swept her up in his arms just as the first tear began to
spill down her cheek. He was still in the process of comforting her when a soft
knock came from his front door.

�Enter,� he called barely turning
his attention away from the crying child.

Hermione carefully pushed the door
opened and entered. In her hands she held several pieces of clothing and what
looked to be a teddy bear. She had obviously showered and her long curls were
still hanging down her back.

�Has she been crying long?� asked
Hermione as she set the stuff on the table.

�No,� answered Draco stroking the
child�s hair, �She got upset when I asked her name. She tried to respond but no
sounds came out.�

�We�ll figure that out later,� said
Hermione softly. She was surprised to see Draco doing so well with the child,
�That�s not going to do much.� She pointed to the bowl of soapy water, �May we
use your bath? The grit and smoke is all over.�

�Yeah, I�ve never given a kid a
bath before though,� replied Draco.

�It�s not too hard,� laughed
Hermione as she knelt next to him. �Hi there sweet heart, how about we get a
bath so that all that yucky soot comes off.� She watched the child think about
it before nodding slowly. �Good, do you want to hold my hand while we follow
Draco?� She girl shook her head no, sending up a cloud of dust and soot from
her hair.

�Will you run ahead and make sure
the door between Harry�s room and the bath is closed? I don�t want her to see
that anymore,� asked Draco quietly.

�Sure, Draco, that�s really a good
idea,� Hermione answered.

Draco gave her a small head start
before gracefully standing with the child. To his surprise, she wiggled until
he placed her gently on her feet. She quickly wrapped her grubby hand in his
and looked up at him with her beautiful green eyes. He couldn�t prevent the
reassuring smile that made its way to his lips but the shyly returned smile
made it worth it.

�Are you two coming?� asked
Hermione from the bedroom door.

�Yeah,� replied Draco as he led the
little girl towards the bath.

When they reached the bathroom, he
found Hermione going through Harry�s stuff. He watched her for a few moments
before she stood up with a clear bottle in hand. As she approached the huge
tub, she stopped to look at Draco. Thinking about it for a few seconds she
turned a menacing look upon him.

�If word of this gets out to anyone
I�ll show you just how well I can hex someone.� She poured a liberal amount of
the clear liquid into the bath causing vanilla scented bubbles to fill the
water.

When they turned to the girl to
help her undress, they were surprised to find her half way there. The little
sundress that she had been wearing was in a heap on the floor and she was
struggling with the straps on her shoes. When Hermione bent to help her, she
noticed a small silver heart shaped locket. Hermione removed her shoes and
socks before helping her into the water. She took one last look at the locket
and saw the name delicately etched into it.

�You�re name�s Titania,� sighed Hermione.

Titania looked up quickly and
nodded her head. Hermione helped her wash up and washed her hair. While they
were doing that, Draco retrieved a large fluffy blanket. When it was time to
get out, Titania turned to Draco and lifted her arms to him. In response, he
wrapped the towel around her and lifted her up. When they returned to the
common room, Mimsy was waiting for them.

�Master Draco, sir, Mimsy brought
good foods for the little one and sandwiches for others. Mimsy brought toys
too.� Mimsy was practically bouncing in her excitement.

�Mimsy, what are your normal
duties?� asked Hermione seeing the creatures
excitement.

�Mimsy keeps rooms clean Mistress.�

�From now on, I want you to help
Draco and Harry with Titania,� ordered Hermione, �You�ll take your orders from
them and help them when they need it okay.�

The House Elf�s wide eyes seemed to
tear up and it got excited, �Thank you Mistress, Mimsy will help take care of
the little one.�

~*~

Professor Snape carried Harry to
his bed, hyper aware of the burned skin against his arms. The dark haired
Gryffindor was exhausted both mentally and physically, his magic was drained
dangerously low. Snape gently set Harry on the bed and helped him sit up. From
his pocket he retrieved several potions.

�We need to work on some for your
more Gryffindor responses,� said Severus, �I�m going to put this burn salve on
your back, it should feel cold.�

�I couldn�t save them, Professor;�
Harry said dejectedly, �That child is the only one I could save.� Harry hissed
as the burn salve touched his skin.

�We cannot always save everyone. It
is a price of war,� responded Snape. �It is a hard lesson, maybe the hardest
lesson of all. This can�t happen again Harry. You risk the lives of your
friends and yourself. If you die the sacrifices of those you love will have all
been in vain.�

�Tell me then, am I to give up all
I love to this cause?� asked Harry, he was too tired to put any anger into his
words.

�No,� replied Snape, �You have to
learn to fight smart and protect those that you love. You would have done well
in Slytherin, they would have taught you to think before you act. No one would
have coddled you because you were the-boy-who-lived.�

�That is something I have longed
for since I started at Hogwarts,� yawned Harry, �I just wanted people to leave
me alone.�

Snape held up a pink tinged vial,
�Drink this, it will help.�

�What is it?� asked Harry.

�Magic restorative,� replied Snape
uncorking the vial.

Harry took the vial in his shaking
hands and was startled when a pale hand wrapped around his and helped him bring
it to his lips. The potion tasted like strawberries; unlike any other potion he
had ever had it was a pleasant taste. Immediately some of his weariness melted
away but a second vial was quickly brought to his lips. The second one was more
like the potions he knew.

�Sleep draught,� muttered Harry.

�Very good,� snarked Snape, �Lay on
your stomach so that you don�t disturb your burns. They will be a little tender
until morning at least.�

�Thank you, Professor,� Harry
yawned as he lay down and sleep claimed him.

Snape stayed until he was sure that
Harry slept. He carefully covered the young man with a sheet before making his
way back to the common room. When he entered, he was surprised to find Draco
and Hermione watching the child as she picked her way through several dishes of
food. The little girl was wearing an overly large Muggle tee-shirt with a
brightly colored bear on it.

�Have you been able to get any
information from her?� he asked briskly.

�We learned her name from her
locket,� began Draco, �She tried to talk earlier but couldn�t make the words
come out. It seemed to upset her.�

�She can make sounds though,�
Hermione add. �Titania, let�s brush your hair before it tangles.�

Snape watched as the girl sat down
in front of Hermione and submitted herself to the older girls care, �We should
have Mother or Molly look at her. The smoke may have damaged her vocal cords.�

�Mimsy,� called Draco, �Would you
please retrieve Madam Snape. Tell her we would like her to examine Titania.�

�Mimsy will hurry,� replied the elf
before popping out of the room.

�How is Harry?� Hermione inquired.

Severus watched her gently pull the
brush through Titania�s dark blonde locks, �He�s exhausted. His burns will heal
by morning, none of them are very serious and the burn salve that Charlie uses
is very potent. His magic was dangerously low, by the time you get on the train
it should be back to normal.�

�Does he remember?� asked Draco.

�Remember what?� asked Snape.

�He AK�d
the Death Eater that started the fire in the building,� replied Hermione, �The
whole town was in there. I barely had time to cast a shielding charm around us
before the magic surge hit us.�

�Yes, Bill and Minerva were quite
impressed by the charm you used. Neither of them had ever seen it before,� he
said accusingly.

�It�s one that I created last year.
We tested it at the DA meetings. That was the first time it was tested in the
field. It stands up again the Cruciatus so far but I had to double cast it
against Harry�s magic surge.�

�I�ve never seen that a magic surge
that strong, Hermione,� Draco said off handedly.

�It took down what was left of the
town and shattered the wards Narcissa put on the church.� Remus stood in the
doorway with Serenity, �How is Harry?�

�Go ahead and check on him,�
Severus suggested, �You know you won�t be satisfied until you do.�

�Thanks, Severus.� Remus retreated
to Harry�s room.

Serenity was watching the child
closely while Hermione finished brushing her hair. The gentle drying charm that
she added to the brush left her dark blond hair falling in gentle curls. As
soon as Hermione was finished, Draco found himself with a lap full of sleepy
child. Settling herself next to Draco and the child, Serenity discretely
checked the child over with several spells. When she was finished, she cast a
child safe sleep inducing spell and turned to the others in the room.

�There�s nothing wrong with her
throat or vocal cords. She will probably cough for a few days from all the
smoke but she�s healthy. There�s another possibility though,� said Serenity
sadly.

�The trauma of the experience,�
said Remus before he sat down with them.

�Yes, that much trauma does strange
things.�

Remus rubbed his eyes, �Do you know
her name yet?�

�It�s Titania,� said Draco shifting
her gently, �it�s on her locket.�

�Kingsley suggested we find someone
in the order to keep her. The Muggles will just drop her in an orphanage and I
know Harry won�t want that,� Remus said, �The Muggle authorities have her
listed as among the dead.�

Hermione looked at each person in
the room seriously, �If I know Harry at all, he�s going to want to keep her.�

�I thought as much,� said Remus.

�By the way, Professor Lupin, what
did his magic surge do to the Death Eaters?� asked Draco.

�They were unconscious. About half
of them escaped the Aurors though. They got one guy to talk, they were led by
Narcissa.� He watched Draco as he passed on his information.

�I guessed as much when they were
set the place on fire,� admitted Draco. �Narcissa likes to cause pain. Did you
tell her, Severus, did you tell her what Narcissa did?� Titania whimpered in
her sleep and he shifted her slight weight, rubbing her back to reassure her.

�No, if you want her to know, you
have to tell her. It is not my place to tell her,� responded Severus sadly.

�Draco,� said Hermione softly, �I
have to get back and tell the others how Harry is. I was only supposed to come
for information.� She gave him a quick hug before making her way out of the
room.

�I have to go as well,� said Remus,
�I�ll be back to talk to Harry in the morning.�

Severus watched his coworker leave
before turning to his Godson, �Do you want me to stay or should I go?�

�I� I think I want you to stay.
Harry�s the only person that knows the whole truth� I don�t know if I�ll be
able to tell it twice,� Draco said with his eyes closed.
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