Courtney,

I write with good news. You’re father and I am getting remarried at the end of June! He asked me just last night, and I had to write to my maid of honor straightaway. I hope that you’re excited. Your brother is acting as if the world has just ended along with Alex. Do you know why your brother would be unhappy that your father and I are getting married again? I have a feeling that he’s laid out all his secrets to you, and I know Alex won’t tell me. So, I love you, and I’ll see you at Platform 9 ¾ at the end of term.

Love,

Mom

I sighed and folded Mom’s letter back up. I had a feeling that I knew why Marcus was so unhappy with the marriage. I just didn’t understand how he could possibly know that our father was a deatheater. I didn’t even want to go back home because of him. He was a traitor and was going to bring mom down with him. He was dead to me.

“What are you reading?”

I looked up to see Hermione and Ron sitting across from me, and Kam sitting to my right. I wasn’t sure that I should tell them everything, but I was going to anyway. I could always trust Ron and Kam, and Hermione had proved herself worthy over the year. I bit my lip before starting.

“Mum wrote me. She says that she and dad are getting married at the end of June and that Marcus is furious about that,” I said with a shrug. “I’ve gotten a letter from him as well, but I haven’t read it just yet.”

“Why would your brother be angry with your mum for getting remarried to your father?” Hermione asked, which made Ron laugh. “What is it Ronald? Do you know why?”

“It’s completely obvious, Hermione. Her dad is in line with You-Know-Who,” he whispered. “Only someone who was so close with the Malfoy’s has to be in league with him. You should’ve figured that out by now.”

Kam laughed. “That’s another one for Ron, and sadly, none for Badass Hot Chicks.”

“Are you including Hermione in with you and Courtney now?” Ron asked with a chuckle. “Why?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Shut it, Ronald.”

I then tore open the letter from Marcus, which made the three of them fall silent. I fingers trembled with excitement and nervousness just opening the letter. I hadn’t gotten a letter from my brother all year long. He had to be writing about something horrible, which was probably caused by our dear parents.

Courtney,

This letter is a warning. Do not go back to mother’s and father’s house this summer. I happen to know a secret of father’s, and it’s definitely not good. I especially happen to know that it won’t be good for neither you nor Adeline. I’m working on mother to get her out of there, but it’s not working. Go to the Burrow at the end of term, all right? I don’t want to see my little sister hurt again.

Love,

Marcus

“He knows about our father. He didn’t say so. He just mentioned that he knows about his secret and told me to head straight to the Burrow after the term is over,” I said, setting it down instead of folding it like I did with my mother’s. “It’s not safe there for my mother or my little sister any longer. He’s working on getting them out of there, but it’s not working.”

“You’re dad is a right bloody git,” Ron said, “and I could call him much worse.”

I nodded. “Do call him worse because he deserves it.”

“That bastard,” Kam smirked.

“Thank you,” I smiled at her.

 “So, what are you planning to do?” Hermione asked. “Are you going to the Burrow or not at the end of term?”

I sighed. It really didn’t go with Snape’s plan of me sneaking off into the night and then going to the Burrow. I really thought I should speak with him about what my brother had said, but I couldn’t second guess what Snape wanted. I was going to go home and run off so that no one knew where I was headed. If I wrote to my mother, my father would probably tell You-Know-Who, and I couldn’t let that happen. I had to do what Snape told me to do. Sorry, Marcus.

“I’m going home,” my voice cracked as I said it.

“What?” Hermione asked breathlessly. “You couldn’t possibly do that! Why must you put yourself in harm’s way?”

I shrugged. “It’s for the greater good, Herms. I can’t be selfish now, especially when my little sister is still inside that house. Do you understand?” I wanted to tell them about Snape’s plan, but then people I didn’t want to overhear just might tell the wrong person. I felt bad lying to them, but I couldn’t do that to Snape after all the hard work he put into making me safe. He knows what he is doing.

“I understand,” Kam said, patting my shoulder. “When Adeline is old enough, she’ll realize how blessed she is to have a sister like you.”

I looked up and saw Harry making his way over to us, but he stopped when his eyes caught someone and stopped. I smiled when I saw that he was talking to Katie Bell. It was good to see that she was back and that Draco hadn’t caused any permanent damage to her. Draco…my heart yearned for him, but he had neglected to tell me another secret of his. That’s when Harry looked up and his smile disappeared. I looked in that direction, as did the other three, to see Draco standing at the door way. He looked as if he was about to cry. He caught my eye before turning around and leaving the Hall. Someone then bumped into me. Harry was chasing after Draco.

“Oh, shit,” Kam swore from behind me.

What could he be possibly running after him for? My heart jumped in my chest as I realized that it wasn’t going to turn out well. I got up and chased after them with protests from the others. I couldn’t let Harry go after Draco. I couldn’t let there be a fight because that’s what most certainly was going to happen. I followed them all the way to the boys’ loo and stopped. I decided that the best thing to do was to wait or should I go get someone? I was torn about what to do. Slamming and yelling could be heard from inside. I had to fight the urge to just run in there. I didn’t want to leave that spot to go get anyone either. What was I supposed to do? A slam close to the door made me jump. They were going to kill each other; I just knew it.

“MURDER IN THE BATHROOM!” came a voice as Moaning Myrtle flew from out of the door and through me. She kept going down the halls. “MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!”

I rushed into that bathroom to find Harry almost in tears staring down at…I gasped. My Draco was on the floor with blood pouring out from his chest and face. His beautiful face! I knelt down beside Draco as the crying started. I stood up and pointed my wand at Harry.

“What did you do?!” I yelled at him.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” he said in a small voice.

“What did you do?!” I shrieked at him, tears were falling steadily down my face. “Tell me or I swear I will kill you!”

That’s when the door opened, and Snape came in, his face livid as he pushed me roughly away from Draco. He kneeled over him and began to mutter under his breath. The steady flow of blood to ease, and my heart started to beat again. He then wiped some residue off his face before muttering once more. The wounds seemed to be knitting themselves together, and I was relieved to see Draco’s face come back into view the way it was supposed to look; the face that I loved. He then half lifted Draco up off the floor as he tried to stand by himself.

“You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we may even avoid that,” he then looked at me, “Miss Flint, will you make sure that he gets there and takes the dittany? You make stop at my stores if you wish.”

I nodded and took Draco by the arm. “Yes, sir.”

We walked in silence for part of the way before I couldn’t take it any longer. “What happened, Draco?”

He took in a deep breath as we kept walking. “He came after me and started a fight, telling me that he knew it was me behind all the shit that’s been happening this year. I had gone in there to be alone and think by myself for a few moments, but he wouldn’t let me have it. He should know that I feel bad about everything that has happened. I didn’t mean to hurt Katie or Weasel. It just happened.”

“I know that Draco, but,” tears started to sting my eyes. Why had I cried so much that past couple days? I was becoming more emotional by the minute, and I hated it. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve understood.”

He nodded. “I know, but the less you knew, the better off you were.”

“I can’t believe that I’ve been defending you,” I muttered as we rounded the corner and the hospital wing was in view. “All this time you’ve been planning a murder.”

“As I told you before, I have no choice in this. I don’t get to pick which mission I get put on; they’re assigned to me. Why can’t you understand that?”

“I do,” I said, sitting him down on the nearest bed. “What hurts is that you didn’t tell me when you came clean with me. You say that you love me, but you keep secrets from me. What other dirty little secrets are you keeping?”

He sighed. “I’m fixing the cupboard upstairs to get the other followers into the castle,” he whispered to me, which just caused me to blink at him stupidly.

“Oh my goodness,” said Madame Pomfrey from behind me. “What happened to him?”

“Some kind of spell. Professor Snape says to give him dittany right away to help with scarring,” I said in a hurry before backing away from Draco. “Good-bye, Draco.”

I headed out of the hospital wing without another word. It should’ve already been good-bye long before that day. I was distancing myself away from him, but he clearly wasn’t giving me the same courtesy. He says that he loves me, but if he really did, he would just stay out of my life. Snape was right. I was better off out of the mess called Draco Malfoy’s life. For good.