CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The Battle Of Ministry
February 8th, 1980.

Daphne shifted her attention towards her cousin, Narcissa, who was starting to show a light bump. Her hand never left her stomach and she glared at everyone who would walk past her. A month or so had gone on since her engagement to Fabian, in the meantime, they had organised a dinner at the Rosier Manor to announce it to them as well. Despite her fears, the dinner turned out to be just perfect. Her father, Bacchus, had accepted Fabian right away and she knew her mother had played a huge part in the way he behaved that day. Narcissa was happy, the happiest in a while actually. Even Evan had expressed his excitement over their union.

The happiness which radiated through her family made her heart melt, truly.

But today, she was making her way through the dimly lit corridors of Malfoy Manor. As usual, Daphne had been invited to the meeting–after all, she was considered to be part of his inner circle. Walking through the meeting room, the air grew heavy and she almost felt as if someone was putting all their weight on her shoulder. As she sat down, she locked eyes with Severus Snape who simply bowed his head and she did the same. Evan was there too and to her surprise, he had moved seats to be with her.

"Reckon it is important?" He whispered, leaning closer to her. "I mean Greyback, Bella, Antonin, Lucius, Snape, Nott...All these people–they're bloody important, are they not?"

Daphne hummed, setting eyes on every person her brother had just called, "I reckon they are. It must be something important."

"Right," he bit his lip down and then glanced at her ring. "Mum is bloody enthusiastic about that," he told Daphne, eyeing the engagement ring. "She talks about it all the time."

"Well, I'm enthusiastic about it too," she told him with a smile.

He replied something similar to he was happy as well but quickly stopped talking as he heard footsteps. The door of the meeting room had flown open and from the quietness, even with her back facing the person, she could tell who it was. Though, they stopped–right behind her.

"Ah, Daphne," he breathed out and Daphne noticed how different he sounded. "How I am glad to see you there. I am deeply saddened that you were not able to recruit Aberforth, however I am very proud of you for killing him."

"Anything for you, my Lord."

Daphne had not killed him, in fact she would never even try to lay a hand on Aberforth. She had sent Gideon and Fabian so they could retrieve him somewhere safe and she was proud of herself to see that the so respected Dark Lord had been fooled.

As he began to walk again, the air crackled with anticipation, awaiting his command, "My faithful followers," his voice echoed through the room, his tone breathy yet cold and commanding. "The time has come for a bold strike, my friends. An attack that will send tremors through the Ministry of Magic itself."

Whispers of conversation filled the room, discussing the upcoming event that was about to unfold at the Ministry of Magic. All of a sudden, Daphne felt very overwhelmed by all the information and closed her eyes, trying to listen to her heartbeats like Fabian had taught her.

"Quiet!" He shouted and the room went silent again. "The Ministry, that den of corruption and resistance, shall feel the might of our wrath. Their feeble attempts to impede our progress shall be crushed beneath our heels. Dumbledore's little army will rush to get there and we will wait for them, in the dark so we can kill them."

A chorus of laughter filled the room, a chilling symphony of malevolence. Daphne, on her side, felt rather sick hearing all of this. As he continued to speak about the reason for this attack and how it would serve as a symbol of our dominance, Daphne distanced herself. The murmurs and laughs felt far but she did her best to stay in the meeting.

"Prepare yourselves," he commanded. "We shall strike at the sunset in three days."

They all shouted his name, even Daphne and she caught how the Dark Lord's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. They were prepared to carry out his every command even if it meant to jump from a bridge, as long as they got to sow the seeds of chaos and destruction. He gave some of his followers orders such as Lucius who would have to pull some strings inside the Ministry, Antonin and Nott who needed to take care of the Floo so they could all travel and also sabotage their way of communicating, then Bella who needed to simply kill.

With a careless wave of his hand, he dismissed his devoted followers, sending them to prepare for the forthcoming attack. Evan kissed his sister on the cheek and hurried back home, telling her he had promised their mum to help for the wedding. Taking her chance to warn Fabian, she hurried to a room where she knew safe and focused to form a Patronus. Soon after, the ethereal form of a dragon leapt into the air, carrying her message of warning and urgency to Fabian, urging him to gather the members of the Order.

Making her way towards the floo, she heard a voice–one that was familiar to her but not exactly known. They talked about the attack and it wasn't until she heard the other man squeal that her blood ran cold. If she was not mistaken, no one but Peter Pettigrew was behind that door but she had no real proof to say it was him so with a heavy heart, she used the floo and travelled to her next meeting.

When Daphne got off the floo, a lot of people were already standing in Andromeda's living room. Thankfully, her cousin had nicely agreed to hold the urgent meeting at her house considering she was miles away from London.

"Daphne!" Fabian exclaimed, rushing to her as he pulled her into a hug. "Merlin, I was scared something happened to you," he murmured in her hair as he held her head softly in his hand.

"Don't worry, I'm okay," Daphne whispered, laying her hand on his cheek as he closed his eyes at the touch and calmed himself down. "Is everyone here?"

He sighed, scratching the back of his neck, "Just our inner circle and a few others," he admitted as she frowned. "The others won't leave their house because of what's happening outside."

"Alright," she nodded, peeking over his shoulder as she recognised a few familiar faces. Remus was missing but it wasn't surprising, he wasn't here half of the time which sent Sirius in a complicated state. "Is Pe–No, nevermind," she stopped herself, keeping the information to herself not wanting to alert Fabian about her concerns concerning Pettigrew.

"Is there something wrong?" Emmeline Vance queried, spotting Daphne walk towards the front. "Moody's not here. Isn't he supposed to be there?"

"He will," Fabian reassured. "And so is Dumbledore."

"Right," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest and turning to speak with Frank and Alice Longbottom.

From the side, Daphne could see and feel people coming to see her and she recognised Lily and Sirius. Lily had her hand on her bump, rubbing it tiredly and Sirius had a hand on her lower back.

Lily tapped Daphne's shoulder to catch her attention, "You seem troubled, what's going on?" Lily queried and Daphne hated how the red-hair still had the ability of reading right through her. Sirius gave her a small smile as if he was sensing she was troubled and uneasy. "Is it bad?"

"Yes," she admitted, whispering. "Lily, you should go sit down. Moody is coming and then I will talk, alright? Don't be so impatient, yeah?"

Lily couldn't help herself but nodded, "Okay," she answered, heading to the nearest chair and releasing a breath as soon as she sat down.

"Daph," Sirius murmured, his mouth close to her ear as if he didn't want the others to read his lips or even hear. "I know you were at a meeting earlier today. Did he plan something?" Daphne merely nodded as Sirius cursed under his breath. He pulled back and ran a hand in his hair, then waved at James as he spotted him. "Prongs, have you seen Wormtail?"

James took a quick glance around him, shrugging, "No, sorry Pads," he told him, making his way to the cousins. "I heard his family went to France. I have no idea if he went with them. Pete doesn't share much these days," he explained and Daphne forced herself to turn her head the other way so she wasn't listening. The fact that Peter was not here just raised her suspicions.

Finally, Moody and Dumbledore stepped out of the floo and glared at everyone, "What was so important, Prewett?"  Moody growled.

"It is actually Daphne who has something important to tell."

Dumbledore's eyebrow arched, listening, "We are all listening to you, Miss Rosier. Go ahead."

Daphne's heart pounded into her chest with fear and determination as she stood before the members. She took a deep breath in an attempt to keep her voice as steady as possible, "As few of you know I still attend the meetings on the other side and today the Dark Lord explained his plan," she cleared her throat. "He plans on striking the Ministry of Magic at sunset in three days."

Gasps of shock and fear swept through the gathered members. Daphne scanned the room, her eyes fell on Gideon who smiled widely at her then Alice Longbottom who was holding her bump. She almost felt sick to know that pregnant women were involved in this.

"Most of his followers are involved," she continued. "I know a few who will be present."

"Then tell us," Moody spoke up as she rolled her eyes at his tone.

"Give her time, Alastor," Dumbledore chirped in, motioning for Daphne to continue.

She sighed, "Lucius Malfoy will be the one pulling some strings at the Ministry, I reckon he will be the reason why they got in," she explained as a few people whispered to each other. "Nott and Antonin will take care of the floo and sabotage their communication. Then, Bellatrix will have no mercy for whoever stands in their way."

"Well, I'm not against killing a few Death Eaters, are we?" He quipped, a mischievous grin playing on his face. "It's about time we get some action, lads!" His attempt at easing the people earned a few chuckles even Daphne's lips curled into a small smile, appreciating his touch of lightness.

Dumbledore didn't utter a word for a moment, "Thank you, Miss Rosier, for sharing this vital information with us," he said, calm and measured. "We have the knowledge of being aware of this attack so we must approach with utmost care," he warned.

Nods of agreement echoed through the room as the members of the Order absorbed Dumbledore's words. Surely, they seemed to understand the risks and sacrifices that lay ahead, but they were ready to face them.

Moody rose on his feet, his cane hitting the ground as he made his way at the front to speak. He gave orders on what to do for some people, just like the Dark Lord had done hours ago. In these moments, Daphne somehow felt like she didn't belong–she felt like a mere messenger. Catching her old Headmaster making his way to the floo, she rushed to meet him.

"Sir, I need to talk to you about something," she pleaded as he nodded silently and invited her to step into the chimney. Soon enough, she was stepping in his office and waited patiently for him to arrive.

"What is the matter?" he asked. "Please have a seat. Would you like a biscuit? Tea, perhaps?"

"No, thank you," she told him. "At the end of that meeting, I thought I heard Peter Pettigrew," she admitted, biting her lower lip. "And I heard James stating that he is not around much. I need to know if you are sending him away for missions or if you have no idea of his whereabouts."

His lips formed a thin line, "I am afraid I do not know about Mister Pettigrew's whereabouts, Miss Rosier."

"Oh," she whispered. "Then, could I be mistaken?"

"I fear not, Miss Rosier," he said sadly. "As we all know Miss Pettigrew is the most vulnerable in these situations," he explained.

She frowned, "But—but, could he really do something like that to James, Sirius and Remus?"

Dumbledore's expression softened, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, "Trust and friendship, Miss Rosier, are two of the most precious bonds we can form in this world. But they also carry the risk of vulnerability. Sometimes even those we hold closest can falter."

"Right," she replied. "Should I tell someone?"

He shook his head vigorously, making her frown, "Mister Potter and Black cannot know. We must not let betrayal erode their own trust in Mister Pettigrew."

Daphne loathed the idea of hiding something from her cousin–if it had happened years ago, she wouldn't have tried to tell him but now all she wanted was to scream it on the top of her lungs. But somehow she knew she couldn't point her finger at Peter and call him a traitor when she had no real proof except for a mere squeal.

With a simple nod, she exited the office through the floo and landed right in her living room where Fabian was waiting for her nervously.

"Merlin, Daphne!" He snapped loudly as she jumped lightly at the tone. "I'm sorry, I'm just on edge. You vanished after the meeting and I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was with Dumbledore."

"Why's that?"

She sighed tiredly, "At the meeting, after I sent you my patronus–"

"Beautiful one, by the way," he cut her off gently. "It is very rare to have a dragon."

"Thank you," she blushed at the compliment. "So, I went back to the meeting room but stopped at the door because I thought I heard Peter."

His eyes widened at the familiar name, "As in Peter Pettigrew? Sirius's mate?"

"Yeah...I'm not sure, though. I only heard a squeal but I could have sworn it was him, Fab," she argued. "Of course, Dumbledore told me to not tell a bloody thing to anyone."

"He's a bloody imbecile sometimes," Fabian muttered under his breath as Daphne nodded in agreement. "Let's just calm down, alright? You need a proper tea and some time with your fiancé," he told her as she snorted.

...

Three days later, the members of the Order stood in the Ministry waiting patiently for the chaos to start. Before that, some members of the Order had taken the liberty of warning their connections at the Ministry of Magic so they could warn others.

It was killing Daphne to stand on the other side–the wrong one. If one curse went wrong, she would be responsible for someone else's death, someone she knew and maybe loved. The thought of hurting someone made her shiver as she waited. She knew that her friends and fiancé would be in here before she even set foot near the Ministry.

To be honest, they had all their chances to win this battle.

"Sunset is in three minutes," Dolohov's voice echoed from behind her and she grimaced. Greyback was not far either because she could smell that wet dog scent from miles away. "Rosier, is everything alright?" He asked, noticing the colours draining from her face.

"Just fine, Dolohov," she lied, keeping a still face. "Go see the others, would you? You and your dog are poisoning the air."

Greyback growled behind the wizard, "What did you call me?" He asked, taking a step closer but Daphne didn't flinch at all. Dolohov stopped the werewolf by smacking his chest with the back of his hand.

"You cannot hurt her, Greyback. The Dark Lord would have you dead for that," he reminded.

"What does he find in her anyway?"

Someone shushed them and Daphne could perceive the familiar white hair, "Do not speak of our Lord when he is not here, Greyback," Lucius warned, approaching them. "Is there anything else you would like to add?"

The werewolf merely groaned, turning on his heels so he could go see the others, "Lucius to the rescue, is that it?"

Lucius smirked a bit, arching his eyebrow, "So fierce," he commented. "You remind me of someone with that attitude of yours, Daphne."

"I see."

He didn't continue but sighed, "I came here to tell you that your little brother is looking for you," he explained. "He seemed a bit panicked," he told her, looking down at his pocket watch. "You have one minute to find him."

Daphne didn't answer and went to look for Evan–he was in a corner, holding his wand tightly as he kept straightening his posture but couldn't help but let his shoulders slouch a bit. His face relaxed when he laid eyes on his sister and he immediately wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in her chest like he used to do as a child.

"You don't have to go, Ev," she reminded him, her hand running into his hair as she felt him melt into her embrace. "We can always go home."

He shook his head softly, "Dad would have my head, Daph," he replied and she hated her father for putting so much pressure on him. "How do you do it?"

"What? Fight?"

"No. Kill people," he mumbled. "I'm bloody terrified of it."

Her heart ached but despite that, she let out a chuckle remembering how Regulus had told her that Evan would be more reckless than her. Yet here they were, in each other's arms. But, Evan was too young to kill someone, he didn't deserve the months of nightmares and the endless guilt of it.

Daphne cupped her brother's face, looking at him, "Ev, just don't, alright?" She told him as he opened his mouth to talk again but she cut him off. "Do not kill anyone unless you have to. Just hex them, yeah?"

"Are you sure I can do that?"

"Of course, Evan."

"Alright," he muttered.

"It's time!" Lucius shouted and everyone hurried to the nearest floo or soon turned into black trails that dived right to the Ministry.

"I love you, Ev."

He offered her an unsure smirk, "I love you, Daph."

The Ministry of Magic was soon consumed by chaos as the members of the Order of the Phoenix revealed themselves, thankfully Daphne could not see Fabian and she was extremely grateful. The battle raged on as the air got heavier with the spells, hexes, jinxes, curses and the cries of wizards. Daphne fought alongside the wrong side but had to, her heart filled with fear as she threw small hexes in hope to not hurt anyone she knew.

Amidst the fight, Daphne's attention was momentarily diverted by a green brilliant flash of light and a loud thud. Her eyes darted towards the source, and her heart stopped. Evan had been struck by the curse. Turning her head, she saw Moody holding his wand towards the body and she felt her blood boil with anger and sadness.

How could he?

Grabbing him by under his arms, she dragged his body behind the nearest column and laid his head on her lap, "Evan!" Her voice trembled as she laid a hand on his cheek, trying to make him look at her.

His face was pale, his breaths coming in shallow gasps. His eyes flickered open, and a weak smile formed on his lips when he saw Daphne. He opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. Tears welled up in Daphne's eyes as she cradled Evan's head in her hand.

"Just–just hold on, alright? Just bloody hold on, Ev," she murmured.

Perhaps she was crazy but in that moment, Daphne grabbed her wand and started whispering a desperate plea for healing magic. The familiar incantation left her lips but nothing happened. Surely, she could save him despite him being hit with the killing curse? She could not lose him, not yet.

Her brother was slipping away and once again, she was totally helpless.

The tears wouldn't stop streaming down her face as she held his lifeless body. Trembling, she leaned down and kissed his forehead. She wasn't even fighting anymore. Anyone could approach her and cast a curse on her, and she would simply accept it because her brother had left this world. What was the point of being here if he wasn't?

Casting one more look at the battle, she held his body in her arms and apparated where she thought best–Rosier Manor. Her mother let out a gasp as she saw the body of Evan in Daphne's arms, but soon cried as she approached her baby boy.

Once more, Daphne felt her world crashing down and couldn't move from the parlour until the next morning when Fabian appeared.

—————
authors note, i know i do say this a lot in this ff but don't hate me 😞😞