Ginnys trunk arrived from Hogwarts by the the same evening for her departure from the Burrow.

"I don't suppose I can send you an owl?" Ginny asked Harry.

"Ofcourse you can." Harry said squeezing her hand. "Just don't write any of our names incase it is intercepted."

Ginny nodded and after saying her goodbyes to everyone she turned to Harry again and said. "You are the boy who lived, but I am the girl who waited and I will wait no matter how long it takes."

"I promise to hurry then. Because I don't think I can bear to be without you anymore." Harry said.

They looked at each other, socking up as much as they could. Then Ron's violent cough brought them back to reality. Ginny turned around and mounted her Brooms.

"No kiss goodbye?" Harry asked with a small grin.

"This isn't a goodbye." Ginny said simply, winking at him and then shot up into the air. It was getting darker when Harry tore his eyes away from the place she was last seen.

"It was good of the Holyhead Harpies to take her back after she walked out last time." Hermione said as they went back inside.

"They would be complete nutters not to." Ron said. "If I did something like that I can't imagine what they would do."

"That's because Ginny is an exceptional player. Anyone else they wouldn't let come back at all." Hermione said.

"So you don't think I'm as good as Ginny?" Ron said, his ears going red.

"That's not what I meant and you know it! Besides this is not about you, it's about Ginny." Hermione began said looking to Harry for support. But Harry was lost in thoughts and ignored their bickering as they went up the staircase to the Ron's room. He was worried for Ginny. He did not like sending her away but she would definitely be safer abroad.

He thought about Ottery Bay, the house he bought to live in with Ginny someday if they could survive this new danger.

"I hate this!" He said out loud, finally voicing his frustration while Ron stopped himself from bickering with Hermione.

"I hate this too mate. I was never happy to let her go off on her own in the first place." Ron said throwing himself on his bed.

"Harry isn't talking about Ginny." Hermione told Ron in a-matter-of-fact tone.

"Ofcourse I hate parting with Ginny. But haven't we run enough?" Harry said briefly running his hand over his scar as Hermione nodded sympathetically.

"I need to talk to Dumbledore." Harry said suddenly, looking at his reflection in the mirror. "I still have questions."

"You mean his painting?" Ron asked. "Would his painting have any real answers?"

"It is possible to a certain extent." Hermione said deep in thought. "The paintings reflect the personality of the living subject. Headmasters usually teach them to act and sometimes impart wisdom and memories onto them. It's worth a try. I suppose we could talk to him when we go back to Hogwarts in the morning before classes begin."

"I don't think I will stay in Hogwarts." Harry said after a pause. Both Ron and Hermione let out a funny noise at the same time.

"What are you planning to do?" Ron asked

"But what about your education?" Hermione asked looking upset.

"I think I will take up Kingsley's offer to join the Aurors. I might be able to dig up more information about Flamel and focus on trying to stop him." Harry said.

Ron and Hermione did not reply. They just looked at each other sadly.

*******

Pain!

That's all he could feel. He couldn't see and could barely breath. Every inch of his body felt like it was on fire.

"You helped them escape didn't you?" Nicholas Flamel roared as he pointed his wand at Draco Malfoy and shot another torture curse.

"No!" Malfoy yelled whenever he got air back into his lungs. Then everything became dark.

When he woke up again he was alone. He was weak but he managed to sit up and push some of the blond  hair off his face.

Looking down at his hands he saw blood.

What did he get himself into this time? He wondered as he caught a glimpse at his reflection on the dirty old mirror over the mantle piece.

His hair was a mess and there was red mixed in the otherwise neat blond hair. A black eye was one of the many bruises on his body. Tearing his eyes away from his reflection Malfoy looked around the room.

It looked like an old bedroom. The place where the bed would have been now had a pile of wood pieces and feathers.

Malfoy had no idea what happened in that room but it was definitely caused by Salem magic.

Putting his hands together as though in prayer, Malfoy began to chant in a different language. But soon he coughed and spat out blood.

"You need to save your strength if you want to magic your way out of here." Came a voice from behind and Malfoy jumped. He did not notice a women sitting next to the pile of wood.

She was small and had dark curly hair. She seemed to have been watching him for a while.

"Who are you?" Malfoy asked.

"Your temporary guard." She replied, twirling her curls with one finger, her eyes resting in Malfoy. "I saw them question you. You seem quiet determined to be on our side."

"I have only ever known to be loyal to a master. It seems there is a new one."  Malfoy said.

"Our master is not a muggle hater." The women said.

"Then why recruit former deatheaters?" Malfoy asked.

"For the skills they posses. Salem magic and loyalty." She replied.

"I have both!" Malfoy said confidently. The women laughed.

"You think you have loyalty? That's cute..."

"I am loyal!" Malfoy said through gritted teeth.

"Then explain why you and your family walked away just before the dark lord was defeated." She challenged crossing her arms on her chest.

Malfoy hesitated. For once he was given the chance to explain but he didn't want to.

"I was too much in Harry Potters debt." Malfoy said tonelessly.

The women watched him quietly for a moment and then said "has your debts been paid?"

"I bet it has, now I can go back to what I believe in." Malfoy said.

"You believe in the masters mission?" The women asked curiously.

"Absolutely.... Eternal life and servitude. I'm surprised only death eaters and Salem witches are here." Malfoy said.

"We plan to recruit eventually. The master has been mourning the loss of his wife." The women said. There was a hint of emotion by this point.

"What do you plan to do with me?" Malfoy asked, eyes moving to the broken bed.

The women laughed.

"The master will decide if you are loyal enough. If you pass you will be one of us." She said.

"And if I don't?" Malfoy asked frowning.

"Let's just say... your life will be given up for a worthy cause anyways." The women said with a sly grin.

Malfoy swallowed hard. There was no way that he could survive another round of torture. If he does then they might just kill him anyways. Either ways he is a dead man.

*******

With Ginny gone Harry seems broken. Do you really think he won't go back to Hogwarts? What would Ron and Hermione do?

Poor Malfoy. He tried helping Hermione and now is in danger and nobody even knows.

Would he survive this?

Is Nicholas the next Voldemort?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!
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