Hogwarts Class of 2026

"Hogwarts Class of 2026"

+Three Months Later: A Cave Just Outside of Yorkshire+

       "You are going to pay Miss Granger," a tall, gaunt, man, yelled in a thick French accent. His black hair was stringy, with dirt and blood matted in it, and his dark eyes were blank.

       Hermione glared back at the man, forgetting that she was lying on the ground in her night gown freezing, asking, "Pay for what? What have I done?"

       He gave a loud, hallow laugh that made the hair on Hermione's head stand on end. "You killed a great man Miss Granger and you will pay."

       "It's Mrs. Malfoy, bastard, and I never killed anyone who mattered," she spat, struggling against the robes that bound her arms and legs, knowing that she wouldn't get anywhere without her wand.

       "Mrs. Malfoy, eh? The man you killed would have killed you before allowing you to dirty that great name," he growled bringing his thin, pale, hand across her face.

       Hermione grimaced in pain as she tasted blood against her lips, yelling, "Lucius? This is about Lucius Malfoy?"

       "Well," the man shrugged, his face shrouded by the light from a wand, "that's not what all of this is about but that's most of it."

       "You are still obsessing over something that happened twenty years ago? How pathetic are you?" she yelled loudly, forgetting the stinging of her cheek.

       Before another word could be said his hand went across her cheek again, this time making her head fly to the other side, hissing angrily, "How very Gryffindor of you."

       "How very Death Eater-ish of you," Hermione mumbled, wincing from the pain on her face.

       His dark eyes narrowed quickly as he stared at her, his voice deep and dangerous, "Don't expect that traitor husband of yours to save you this time. This time, you will die, magically or otherwise."

       Hermione showed no fear, she began to breathe hard, there was almost steam coming from her ears as she replied, "You can't beat a real Malfoy, so don't try."

       "Keep talking, Mrs. Malfoy, and death will come sooner than you think," the man snapped kicking her bound body.

       His foot connected with her ribs a few times before she coughed up blood and whispered, "Who are you?"

       "You know me and my partner Mrs. Malfoy, I promise. But by the time you figure us out it will be too late for you."

+Hogwarts+

     Marsilio rushed down the stairs humming a tune that Roxanne had gotten him hooked on. He was running his fingers through his wet hair when he almost ran into his head of house.

       "Professor, excuse me," he said quickly hoping to not have gotten in her path as she prepared to punish his brother.

       Professor McGonagall's expression seemed to fall as Marsilio spoke in such jovial tones. She clasped her hands together as she spoke, "Mr. Malfoy the Headmaster would like to see you and, Cillian, in his office. Follow me."

       Marsilio followed her out of the portrait hole, whispering to his brother as they walked down the hall, "Cill, what did you do?"

       "Nothing Marsilio I promise! James Hornsby came waking me up this morning saying she wanted to see me," Cillian answered, looking like a softer version of his father at eleven.

       "I assure you both that neither of you are in any sort of trouble, the Headmaster needs to speak to the entire Malfoy family at the moment," the Professor announced as they approached the statue.

       "Entire?" Marsilio whispered to himself as she whispered the password and the Gargoyle stepped aside.

       "Entire, Mr. Malfoy," she said as they stepped into Professor Dumbledore's office.

       As Marsilio and Cillian stepped into the office a familiar man stepped into view. He was standing next to Snape, who was standing behind Morgaine's chair. Draco was paler than normal, his eye's were cold and angry, and his perfect locks were in disarray.

       Marsilio was surprised at his father's untidy appearance, he tried to hide it as he spoke, "Morning Father."

       "Son, please sit down," Draco whispered as he laid his hand on Morgaine's shoulder.

       "Children," Professor Dumbledore started softly, "your father and I have called you here to discuss a family matter. I do believe that I will leave that up to your father to explain. Draco?"

       Draco took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, then turned to his children. When he spoke his voice was something that most people in that room didn't recognize, it was broken, "Children, I have some news to tell you."

       Marsilio looked at Professor Snape who was giving Draco a comforting glance, he then looked over at his father who gave him a pitiful glance, one that told him where all this was going. "Mother!"

       "Marsilio, please, let Mr. Malfoy explain," Professor McGonagall said sternly as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

       "Your mother has been kidnapped. Please do not panic, though we don't know who took her exactly, or why, we do have some leads," Draco said looking at his oldest son with something akin to sympathy.

       There was no doubt the relationship between Marsilio and his mother was stronger than the bond between father and son. Marsilio's love for his mother was like Draco's love for Hermione, it was so strong that it willed angry and sadness at the same time. When Draco said those words Marsilio could feel his whole world fall to his feet. Someone had taken his mother, he was in shock.

       Cillian moved to comfort Morgaine, as Professor Dumbledore spoke, "Hogwarts is prepared to accommodate you with whatever support you will need in these dire times. This weekend is the last trip to Hogsmeade for the term and you may return home for every Hogsmeade weekend for the rest of the year. Next week is the Christmas Holidays and you all may stay a week longer if you wish."

        Andreas did not fall apart like Marsilio, he didn't cry like the twins, all he did was turn a cool eye toward his father, asking, "Dad, may I go to breakfast please?"

       Draco looked at his son, realizing that his son would grieve in his own way, nodded. "You are excused."

       Professor Snape decided that it was time that he needed to be getting to breakfast himself so he followed Andreas out, giving Draco & Dumbledore a nod of respect. Just as Snape exited the office Morgaine jumped into her father's arms, sobbing.

       Draco tried his best to comfort the eleven year old in his arms, whispering, "Oh, calm down Morgaine, your mother is fine. I promise, she'll be home soon, please darling, don't cry."

       No one in the room except Draco's children had heard him speak so softly to anyone. Professor McGonagall dabbed at her eyes and Dumbledore had a sad smile settling itself on his lips.

       Draco turned to his youngest son, patting his arm in a comforting way, instructing, "Take your sister to her dormitory and make sure she eats."

       Just as the twins exited Dumbledore turned to McGonagall saying, "Let's let them speak alone."

       Marsilio watched the two walk out just as Cillian and Morgaine did before asking, "What happened?"

       Draco stood abruptly and began pacing, explaining, "I was late and she had sent an Owl to my secretary saying that she would be waiting in the Bedroom chamber reading. I was building myself up for an argument because we were supposed to go celebrate the anniversary of our first honeymoon but my meeting ran over and I was late. So I bound up the stairs to find the bedroom chamber empty.

       "OK nothing wrong, I thought, she was probably in the Kitchens. So I go back down there to find out that none of our House-elves have seen her since Tea at five, which at the time was thirteen hours earlier. Strange, I thought, Hermione always comes down to the kitchens to speak to the elves after tea. To make a long story short I made every living soul on the Malfoy property search for her and she was no where to be found."

       "How did you determine that she was Kidnapped?" Marsilio asked looking down at the ring on his finger with the Malfoy coat of arms.

       "I didn't," Draco admitted. "Harry did, I Owled in hysterics and he was at the Manor within minutes. He called in the Magical Law Enforcement Squad who determined she was kidnapped. They even gave the case load over to the Aurors, which scares me; you know they only deal with Dark Wizards."

       Marsilio was so upset that he was shaking, his mother was out there, alone, with some maniac, he could feel himself feel with rage. Who would dare touch his mother? Who could have the audacity?

       "Marsilio, speak," Draco ordered seeing the pent up rage beneath his sons honey brown eyes.

       "Who? Who would want to do such a thing? To my mother, my innocent mother? If I ever --" he began loudly but his father cut him off.

       "Marsilio, your mother was far from a withering innocent, she had her share of enemies. The whole family does," Draco said matter of factly, tapping his cane on the wall.

       "I don't understand. How could anyone get in and not get lost or killed?"

       "Silio, we had the Manor renovated years ago to lead you back to the foyer if you ever got lost. And I had those protective charms taken down probably ten years before you were born."

       Marsilio watched his father for a moment before of realization struck him, "The War? Father, are your enemies from the war?"

       Draco looked pained; he looked away from his son slowly, saying, "Things have changed during the years Silio. Things that made your mother feel safe aren't what they used to be. Our History is a powerful thing and she always told me not to run from it."

       "History? Father, what are you talking about?" Marsilio asked reminding himself to see his Grandmother immediately.

       Draco turned a sad to his son, whispering, "Things we should have told you, things she wanted you to know, forgive me."

       "What?"

       "We didn't want our past to haunt you. It's time you found out what went on, this weekend you will find out the truth about everything," Draco decided.

       "Father, tell me the truth. Do you think mother is really all right?" Marsilio asked as he twisted the ring on his finger.

       Draco looked over at his oldest son, his wife's greatest love second to him, and the only person he took great pride in and he couldn't lie to him. "Son, I don't know. Just remember she loves you."

       "Christmas is next week, Morgaine and Cillian will be depressed without her annual Cultural Christmas stories," Marsilio whispered thinking more of himself.

       "We all will be saddened but we have to be strong. The Potter's and the Weasely's have decided to come spend Christmas with us."

       "Aunt Pansy and Aunt Ginny in the Kitchen without mother? A sight to see on Christmas Day," Marsilio said trying to smile but it wouldn't come.

       Draco saw the tears that sat unshed in his son’s eyes and spoke, "She'll be fine. She's been through worse, she's a strong woman, and as long as she has us to live for; she'll be fine."

+The Cave Just Outside of Yorkshire+

     "How could you take me before Christmas? Couldn't you wait until afterwards?" Hermione asked as the man sat trying to make the wand, which obviously wasn't his, work correctly.

       "We didn't care if we inconvenienced you Mrs. Malfoy, we don't care if it was the end of the world next week, you silly twit," the Frenchman spat.

       Hermione watched him from afar, with narrowed eyes, before speaking again, "That wand is Maple, 8 1/2 inches if not nine, pliable looking, and more than likely has a Raven feather at the core. It obviously works better in your left hand, sir."

       The Frenchman looked at her strangely before asking, "Now how do you know that Mrs. Malfoy?"

       "I've worked with the Ministry for years in trying to make a Wizarding Database on the basis of Wizards wands. And through the years I have gained the ability to identify a wand just on its looks," Hermione replied looking at the wand, trying to remember who owned a wand just like it.

       "So what do you think its best used for?" the Frenchman asked as he switched hands and performed a perfect Climate Charm.

       "Charms and Curses, it has a Raven feather, Raven's are very powerful birds," Hermione replied as she watched him move the wand.

        "Does your husband know about this ability?"

       "Of course, I even suggested certain wands for our children," she answered proudly as her stomach growled.

       "Hungry eh?" he taunted as her stomach growled again.

       "Yes, am I ever going to get fed?" she asked feeling the muscles in her arms ache; they had been bound behind her for ages it seemed.

       The man just chuckled, shaking his head as he spoke, "When I get ready to feed you, you might get fed, ou vous ne pourriez pas, Mme Malfoy."

       Hermione struggled to translate the French and narrowed her eyes when she finally understood his sarcastic words. "Or you might not?"

       "Smart girl," he said smirking.

       "Woman," she replied lying back against the stone wall of the cave.

       "So do your children know?" the Frenchman asked, turning toward her.

       "Know what?" Hermione asked looking at him again, though she could barely see him clearly, he was sitting in the shadows.

       "That you did so much for the, quote unquote, betterment of the world," he said with a scowl.

       "Your sarcasm is not appreciated."

       "Neither is your agenda to destroy things you could never understand," he spat venomously.

       "I have never had an agenda against anyone, unless you are a threat to someone I love," she replied wishing she could do wandless magic so she could get rid of the magical ropes around her wrist. But family legend had it that the tenth generation descendant of Julion Malfoy, with the right circumstances, could do wandless magic.

       "Really now? You wished to destroy a way of life for so many, Mrs. Malfoy. Now I call that an agenda," the Frenchman hissed in a thick accent.

       "Call it what you want, I don't care, but if that war hadn't been fought the Wizarding world wouldn't be what it is," Hermione groaned stretching her neck.

       "My point exactly, Mrs. Malfoy. You know, I would have thought a Gryffindor, such as yourself, would be such a bloodthirsty wench."

       Hermione was appalled. "Bloodthirsty? I am NOT a Vampire."

       "Why yes, bloodthirsty. You kill only once in the war, you sentence many to a life close to death, and you are in connection to the deaths of many I respected, even held dear. My life has never been the same because of you," he replied, rolling the wand between his fingers.

       "Well, I am sorry if you were mixed up with the wrong sort, it certainly wasn't my fault," she scoffed mockingly.

       "It certainly was your fault that I have been locked up in Azkaban for almost twenty years," the Frenchman snapped.

       Hermione's eyes widened as fear spread throughout her body, but she could still reply, "It's not like you've been tortured by Dementors for almost twenty years. What was left of them was removed fifteen years ago, they were deemed inhumane, only four remain in use there for the worst criminals."

       "Not the point, the place is Hell no matter who guards it," the man replied his voice deep, husky, and much accented.

       "Who are you?" she asked for what seemed like the thousandth time.

       "Someone who should have killed you two decades ago," the man mumbled dangerously.

       With those words a shiver ran up Hermione's spine, she had thought it was one of those men when he kidnapped her, but the moment those words slipped from his mouth she knew. She was in deep waters and she knew she had better tread lightly.

       The man must have had a burst of anger because before she could think another thought he had raised the wand and screamed a curse, using his left hand, "Crucio!"

       The only thought she could muster as she screamed and writhed in pain was one that pulled her through years ago, Draco.

+Hogwarts+

       Roxanne exited the Herbology greenhouse with a frown, noticing the downhearted spirit that her best friend was in. When he had told her the news at breakfast she had lost her appetite, just as Brayton did when he saw the headline in the Daily Prophet, it read: 'Revenge of the Death Eaters? Malfoy Wife Missing'.

       It had brought down all the people who had known Hermione or were close to any of her children. It was rumored the Margaine's head of house, Professor Snape, had let her use his office to rest during all of her classes at her leisure.

       The older Slytherin, Andreas, had spent his day acting as if the world had turned against him and hadn't said a word to anyone except for his crush, third year Slytherin Estelle Austen. Cillian had done the opposite he had tried to appear in high-spirits and had dug himself into his work. But Marsilio, he wasn't anything like his siblings, he was an open book and the whole school knew he was grieving.

       "Silio, do you want to go to Study Hall? We can go fly around the Pitch for a while," Brayton offered pulling his Sugar Quill out of his mouth.

       Marsilio was quiet as they walked away from the greenhouse so Roxanne decided to answer for him, "Bray I don't think he is in the mood for flying."

       "I need to do nothing for a while," Marsilio said as Roxanne and Brayton glanced at each other worriedly.

       "Well, Professor Longbottom is giving that test tomorrow and I need to study so I have to go to Study Hall," Brayton said as they reached the castle.

       Roxanne nodded at Brayton as she said, "Well, Malfoy and I will go down to the lake and do nothing."

       The two ended up at the tree that stood beside the Lake, neither said anything as they stood watching the ripples created by the Giant Squid. They were so intent on being relaxed that they never saw the dark-haired Slytherin approaching from behind.

       But his deep, mocking, voice interrupted their thoughts, "So your mother finally got what was coming to her?"

       Roxanne didn't give Marsilio time to reply, "Ryan, please, go away."

       Marsilio turned to hit him but Roxanne held him back. "Sod off Flint!"

       Ryan chuckled at the anger that was clearly evident on Marsilio's face, Roxanne was doing her best to hold him back but she was having no luck with that whatsoever. He smiled at Roxanne as he said, "Let him go Roxie. He knows the truth about his mother and he can't stand it."

       "Don't call her that," Marsilio yelled lunging at Ryan again but Roxanne kept her hold on him.

       Roxanne winced as she pulled with all her might on Marsilio's robes, asking, "What are you talking about Ryan?"

       "His Mudblood mother is a murderer," Ryan hissed as Roxanne let Marsilio go and slapped him just as she had two months ago.

       Marsilio saw the rage in Ryan's eyes and pushed Roxanne aside before Ryan lost his cool, exclaiming, "It was a war you idiot! Everyone was a murderer!"

       Ryan glared at Roxanne before speaking to Marsilio, "Your, oh so honorable, mother only killed, meaning ending a life, once. She caused one fatality, using the Avada Kedavra, a real killer she is."

       Roxanne to the question, "Ok and? Why does it matter?"

       Ryan didn't even look at her instead he continued to face Marsilio as he spoke, "It matters, Mafloy, because he was your grandfather, the great Lucius Malfoy."

       Their mouths fell open as Ryan smirked and walked away. Marsilio wasn't expecting this, he knew his parents were hiding something but that wasn't what he was expecting.

       Roxanne recovered first, speaking quickly as she wrung her hands, "Malfoy, it's probably nothing like that. There is probably a reasonable explanation."

       Marsilio looked out into the lake, his voiced more pained than it had been earlier, "My nights are long and strangely quiet; while my days reek of mild disarray."

       She caressed his arm soothingly, reciting, "I try to grab hold of all I believe in and I realize that I'm not holding myself. Metamorphosis by Catherine Kent, the most depressing set of poems in your Grandmother's library."

        “Its how I feel at the moment, my life is in mild disarray, I feel a little unwell," he replied turning to look at the shorter girl.

       Suddenly a hard look fell on Roxanne's face and her voice was just as hard, "Look Malfoy, don't fall into his trap. You'll find out soon enough what is true and what's not, so just ignore him."

       "Easier said than done."

       "Malfoy," Roxanne warned in a voice that told Marsilio that it was in his best interest to let it go.

       He nodded, smiling; Roxanne was more like her Grandmother than she thought. "Why don't we go find Father?"

       "Yea, I'm sure he needs the company," she replied as they began walking toward the castle never noticing the pair of pale blue eyes watching them silently