Harry Potter and the Black Secret

Chapter Nine

The Season

Dear Mum,

It feels so weird writing to you, I've never had to before, you've always just been there. I was so afraid of being without you when I first came here, not being able to contact you for fear of someone tracing the letter. I never understood why we had to be so careful. Mum, why didn't you tell me? Did you think that I wouldn't be able to cope, that I'd fall apart? I though you knew be better than that.

I miss you so much. I miss your laugh and your smile, the way you always know what to say to cheer me up. I never needed anyone else as long as I had you. We're a team, isn't that what you said?

But that's not why I'm writing this letter to you. I need to explain to you why I have to do what I'm going to do. I know you understand, but I still need to have told you. I need to say goodbye to you. I need to let you go, once and for all. It doesn't mean I'm going to forget you, that's never going to happen. I know I'll still think of you every day, but your not here, and I still am, and I have to move on. You'd want me to carry on, to be strong.

The night I knew you'd left, I went up to the Astronomy Tower. I was so angry that you'd gone, I was angry with the world, nothing in particular, just the fact that you had gone and had had to leave me on my own. Could you see me then? I can't explain what happened. By some miracle, he came up and saved me. He doesn't know it, but he did. He saved my soul and he saved my life. I would have jumped. I know it, and I'm so happy that I didn't. It took a long time for me to feel like that, to feel like I could have a happy life without you. He's the reason, but not the only reason.

It was always you and me, that's how I thought it'd always be, but you had to go away and it was just me. But it never was just me was it. You knew that, and now I know it too. I have a family. I have a Father, a Brother, Friends and Him. I suppose he's my boyfriend, but that word seems so trivial when he's so much more to me than that. He's my soulmate in every sense of the word.

I can hear your voice now, 'Trust you to be difficult. You couldn't fall for someone whose Father is not trying to kill you'. It is ironic I suppose, but I can't help it. If you knew him mum you'd understand.

I'm not afraid anymore. I know that the time will come for me to fight, and I'll do it, and I'll make you proud of me. No one should feel the pain that I felt when I lost you, and I'll do everything I can to prevent it from happening. There's power in me that I haven't even begun to explore. I can feel it deep inside my spirit. I know where it comes from; you told me long ago why I was special. You called it special, I call it unique. The power is dangerous, its inhuman, and I know that. You wouldn't want me touch it, so I won't. Not unless I have to.

I love you Mum, I will always love you.

This is a new beginning, not an end. I hope you're peaceful wherever you are. You'd hate that I'm sure; you never understood how people could relax and not get bored, so I guess I hope you're happy. You deserve to be happy, and what I realise now is that so do I. So I'm going to be happy.

I'll see you again, one day.

Merry Christmas Mum, don't work too hard.

Love from your daughter

Kristine ~XxX~

Kristine put down the quill she held in her had and carefully folded the letter in half. She slipped the parchment into an envelope, melted some sealing wax in the flame of the single candle in the room and sealed the paper case. Finally she picked up her quill, an eloquent raven feather, and imprinted its mark on the wax. It was the symbol her mother had always used.

Kristine sat at the desk in her private room for a few minutes, holding the letter in her hand. It was time to let go. She allowed Hedwig to take the letter gently from her grasp. Harry's snowy white owl took off into the night, the un-addressed letter with her. Kristine briefly wondered where Hedwig would take the letter, but the thought dissolved quickly.

She rose from the wooden chair, leaned over the desk and blew out the candle, cloaking the room in darkness. For the first night in months, Kristine fell asleep with a smile on her face and didn't wake until morning.

*

Kristine sat on the Hogwarts Express travelling to Kings Cross station. She could feel the train speeding along, the wheels turning beneath her. She could imagine the scenery racing past the compartment window, country hillsides, rustic lanes, and the steam from the engine making the image appear archaic, like something out of an early twentieth century fiction.

Had Kristine opened her eyes she would have seen something very similar to what she imagined, but as it was, she was laying quite happily on the cushioned seat daydreaming the journey away.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny shared the compartment with her and were chatting together happily.

"Anyway," Hermione was saying, "There is going to be a huge party, fireworks the lot, and I'd love it if you came. Your parents would love it Ron, your Dad especially, it's a totally Muggle New Year's Eve. Oh, say you'll come, please!"

"Yes Hermione already, we'll come, I just hope you know what your letting yourself in for," Ron said.

"You'll come too, right Kriss?" Hermione asked, snapping Kristine out of her daydream.

"Huh? Oh, sure, if I can come I'd love to be there."

"Is that even a sentence?" Harry said.

"We can pick you up is you like," Ron said, "Give us an address, I'm sure between the dozen of us we could figure out where it is," he added with a grin.

"Thanks, but I could just Floo right there, that is, if your connected to the network 'Mione?" Kristine asked.

"No," Hermione sighed, "Dad won't let us. He thinks it means that wizards will be popping in all the time uninvited, even though I've explained it doesn't work like that. I think he just doesn't want me to be able to sneak anywhere in the country and back without him knowing I've gone."

"Couldn't you come to The Burrow?" Harry asked.

"There's an idea," Kristine said, "That okay with you Ron?"

"Sure. New Years Eve, Eleven 'o' clock in the morning okay for you? I'll wait in the kitchen, and then we can leave," Ron said.

"That's great," Kristine said with a smile, "I look forward to it," and she was happy to find out that she really was, "If I can't get away I'll let you know, but it shouldn't be a problem."

"Where is it your going again Kriss?" Harry asked.

"Its not far, from London, along the south coast I think," Kristine replied. She didn't enjoy lying to Harry, so gave as little detail as possible as to where her holidays would be spent.

"Are you being picked up at the station?" was Harry's second question.

Kristine smiled; she knew he was looking after her. Making sure she would be safe, and she liked it.

"Yes Harry, I am being picked by their driver in a lovely black car, at the station at half past six. The driver, who I believe is called Sam, will take me to the house, located somewhere in Sussex, not all that far from your Aunt and Uncle. Want me to send anything to them?"

Harry wrinkled his nose and shivered slightly at this.

"Unless you want to send them a package of unsanitary goods, then no, I'd really rather you didn't."

A burst of giggles suddenly came from Hermione and Ginny who were bent over a copy of Teen Witch Weekly.

The other three looked over quizzically at them.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked.

Hermione raised her eyebrows mysteriously at him, and beckoned Kristine over.

Kristine took a seat next to Ginny and looked inside the magazine. Promptly, the three girls burst into hysterics all over again.

"Come on! What's the joke?" Harry said.

"It's girl stuff love," Kristine said in a mothering tone, "best you boys leave it well alone, it could scar you for life," she finished, struggling not to laugh, and Ginny and Hermione fell about laughing for the third time in succession.

*

At six 'o' clock in the evening, the Hogwarts Express finally pulled up at Platform 9 and 3/4, and the students piled out of the train onto the platform.

"Ginny! Ron!" a woman's voice called excitedly across the platform. It was Mrs Weasley.

The red headed women made her way quickly over to her two youngest children and captured them in a tight bear hug.

"Mum," Ron moaned.

Mrs Weasley let them go and acknowledged the other children.

"Harry, how are you my love?"

"I'm fine thanks Mrs Weasley," Harry said smiling, "This is Kristine," he said, reaching out to take Kristine's arm, "My sister."

Kristine looked at Harry in surprise; he'd never publicly introduced her like that, as part of his family.

Mrs Weasley smiled at Kristine and held out a hand to the younger woman.

"I've heard a lot about you Kristine, it's lovely to meet you at last," Mrs Weasley said, smiling as Kristine took her hand. Mrs Weasley shook Kristine's hand and covered it with both of hers.

"I'm pleased to meet you," Kristine said, smiling at Mrs Weasley's warmth.

"Hello Hermione," Mrs Weasley said turning to the curly haired brunette, "I hope my son is treating you well?"

"MUM!" Ron exclaimed in horror.

Hermione chuckled.

"He is, very well," she confirmed.

"Mum, Hermione's invited us to a New Years Eve party, can we go?" Ginny asked.

"Well that depends dear, when is it?"

Ginny and Ron just stared at their mother in disbelief.

"Please be kidding," Ginny said.

"Oh of course I'm kidding, but you should see the look on you faces!" Mrs Weasley laughed, "Yes you can go,"

"The invitations for all of you Mrs Weasley, I'd love for you to come, and my parents would too, if you don't have other plans that is," Hermione said.

"Oh that's very kind of you my dear. Yes that would be lovely; Arthur and I would be honoured. I can't promise you how many of the boys will be coming though, they just seem to use the house as a stop gap nowadays."

"That's okay, they're all welcome. The invites open,"

"I'll tell them. I'm looking forward to it already. Now come on you three, we have to get going. Say your goodbyes and hurry up, the taxi's waiting outside."

Ron came over to Kristine and they hugged.

"See you New Year," he said and pecked her on the cheek, then walked to the side with Hermione so 'say' his goodbyes.

Ginny and Kristine hugged next.

"Make sure he practices," Kristine said to Ginny.

"I will," she chuckled, "Take care of yourself Kriss."

"You too," and with that Ginny helped Mrs Weasley carry some of the luggage through the barrier to Kings Cross Station.

Kristine turned to Harry and looked into his eyes. After a few moments she threw her arms around his neck tightly and he hugged her back. She buried her face in his neck not wanting to let go.

They finally pulled apart far enough to face each other.

"I'm going to miss you," she said quietly.

"I'll see you soon, it won't be for long and I'll owl you every day," he replied, nudging her forehead gently with his.

She nodded and smiled.

"Sister?" she questioned.

"Well, maybe not legally, but you are. You're my family and I don't care who knows it."

"Thank you," she said.

"What for?"

"For being my big brother."

"I'm only a few weeks older than you, you know."

"You're still by big brother, and I love you. Now go away and have a fantastic Christmas."

Harry laughed.

"I intend to. See you soon Kriss."

"Very soon," she agreed and they moved apart.

Harry and Ron walked off the platform with the remainder of the bags, waving goodbye as they disappeared through the seemingly solid barrier. Hermione, standing next to Kriss, took her friends arm in hers.

"Got time for a coffee?" she asked.

Kristine smiled and reached out with her free arm, palm facing outwards towards the remaining bags. The cases flew onto a trolley, which moved to the barrier where it stopped and waited for the two girls.

Hermione laughed.

"That is an incredibly neat trick you know. I can't wait until Ron can lift more than a spoon, I'll never have to carry anything ever again."

"I had no idea you were so lazy 'Mione."

"Ah, I'm a master of deception, and it's a talent I hide very well," she said.

"Come on," Kristine said, shaking her head in disbelief, and with that they walked through the barrier and into Muggle London.

The station was highly developed with various shops and cafes around in between the platforms. Hermione and Kristine ordered two Mocha Coffees and sat on the leather sofa inside the coffee shop.

"You know," Kristine said, after taking a sip of her drink and putting down on the coffee table, "I sometimes forget that you're from a Muggle family. You know more about magic than anyone I know, it surprises me when you are so clued up on Muggle life as well."

"Nearly everything I know about being a witch comes from a book, I might seem to understand magic, but I really don't. You're more of an expert there than I am."

"What makes you say that?" Kristine asked.

"It's something Ron said, about magic being part of your soul, something you can tap into and use. I caught him in the library reading up on ancient magical philosophy, and he told me some of the things you'd been telling him in your lessons," Hermione explained.

"I had no idea he paid that much attention to me," Kristine joked.

"He does," Hermione said seriously, "You've given him something to be proud of, a way to be different, special. He'll always respect you for that.

When I first met Ron, he was so insecure about himself. He had six older brothers to compete with, a sister who would always be special because she was the only girl, and his best friend was Harry Potter."

"And his girlfriend was the smartest witch in school," Kristine added.

"Yes well, that's a recent occurrence compared to the rest. It took him a whole year to get the courage up to ask me out. He pulled me aside at the Halloween feast and told me that he had fallen in love with me, and that he didn't think I could ever fall for him, and that I had a special friendship with Harry.

I cut him off in mid sentence and kissed him. I was so happy, and I couldn't believe that he thought Harry and me were...

I'd been staying up late and chatting to Harry about Ron and how he never noticed me, but I made Harry promise not to say anything to him. Poor Harry, it must have been hell for him in the middle of us two. He actually collapsed with relief when we announced that we were a couple."

Kristine laughed.

"Yeah, he mentioned something about that," she chuckled.

"That's odd," Hermione said, looking out into the platform announcement area.

"What?" Kristine said following her gaze.

"Over there," Hermione nodded, "Malfoy's still here. I thought all the Wizarding families had left. They don't normally hang around the Muggle part of the station for too long, attract too much attention. It looks like he's waiting for someone..."

Kristine glanced at the large station clock. It was 7:15pm. She was meant to meet Draco fifteen minutes ago.

At that moment Draco looked over and spotted the two Gryffindor girls, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh no." Kristine said. What was he up too? Hermione of course assumed that Kristine's word were indicated at the fact that he had seen them.

"Oh God, he's coming over," Hermione moaned.

Draco strolled over to the table, grabbing a nearby chair and straddling it as he sat down at the table with Hermione and Kristine.

"Fuck off Malfoy," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

Kristine was a little surprised at Hermione's blatant use of language.

Draco clasped a hand over his chest in mock scorn.

"Your words sting me Granger, I haven't even said anything yet," Draco drawled back at her.

"Malfoy, I have had the displeasure of knowing you acquaintance for six and a half years now, and not once have you opened your mouth without turning the air around you toxic, so just sod off before I turn you into something unfortunate," Hermione threw back at the Slytherin.

"Tut-tut Granger, no magic outside of school. You should know better, especially being a prefect and all."

"You know the best thing about being top of the class Malfoy, is that I get special permission from the Ministry to practice spells during the holidays. Plus, my reputation is so good, I could turn you into the rodent that you are and convince everyone that it was an accident."

"You wouldn't dare, you're too much of a goody two shoes," Draco taunted.

"Try me," the anger in Hermione's voice clear.

"Not going to say something Hail?" Draco said.

But Kristine had closed her eyes and had covered her face with her hands.

"Kriss, you okay?" Hermione's worried voice said.

Kristine raised her head and opened her eyes. All of a sudden he expression blanked and she slid off the sofa and onto the floor.

"Kriss!" Hermione jumped to Kristine's side and put a hand on Kriss's shoulder.

Kristine turned over and her eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

"You just fainted. Kriss are you okay, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine," she said as she struggled to sit up. She felt someone take hold of her gently under the arm and help her to her feet. It was Draco. He motioned her to sit on the chair he had vacated.

"You are not fine Kriss. Fine people don't collapse in coffee shops for no reason. Fine people stay wide awake throughout a conversation."

"Firstly, it wasn't a conversation you two were having, it was an argument and secondly, I'm sure I didn't collapse for no reason, it probably has something to do with the fact that I helped this git to the Infirmary when he was highly contagious."

Hermione suddenly remember Draco's presence.

"Is this what happened to you?" she demanded.

"More or less, I got over it pretty quick though," he said, eyeing Kristine suspiciously.

"The seven thirty South Central service to Brighton will be departing in five minutes. Passenger's for this service should please board the train now. Thank you," The computerised announcement service echoed through the station.

"Oh no, that's my train," Hermione said.

"So go, I'll be fine, Hermione I promise," Kristine said.

"I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

"I'll stay with her," Draco said.

"You? I think I'd rather leave her alone than with you," Hermione spat.

"Look," Draco said, the exasperation in his voice no doubt genuine, "She helped me when I was sick, I made her sick, I'll help her, it's the only way we're going to be even. Now bugger off and catch your train Granger, I'll make sure she gets home safe."

Hermione looked strained at Kristine.

"Go," Kristine said, "I'll call you when I get home. You've got your mobile with you right?"

Hermione nodded. The number of Muggle born children who carried around cell phones at Hogwarts was phenomenal, even though the things were useless on the grounds due to the build up of magical energy.

"Then I'll speak to you soon," Kristine said.

"Alright," Hermione said grudgingly, "Be safe," she said as she gave Kristine a quick hug.

Just as Hermione was picking her bags off of the trolley she turned to Draco.

"If anything happens to her, anything at all, I will be holding you responsible."

"Oh for God's sake Granger, will you just go home. It's Christmas."

The pair shot daggers through their eyes at each other, and Hermione hurried off to catch her train.

Draco turned back to Kristine.

"Marks out of ten?" she asked innocently.

"Nine and a half," Draco replied, "You loose half for letting me in on the joke half way through. Oh, and one more thing," he said calmly, "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!!!!"

Kristine took his face in her hands and kissed him on the lips.

"Take me home."

Draco shook his head and pulled Kristine to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her waist and as soon as she had grabbed her bags she leaned into his embrace. They walked out of the station in each other's arms. Together.

*

A large black taxi took the pair out of London and drove them in the pouring rain to a town about an hours drive away from the capital city. They pulled up outside a restaurant. It was now 8:30 and very dark, the streets were lit by Christmas lights and the usual pedestrian street lamps, but the moon and the stars were nowhere to be seen, cloaked by the thick rain clouds.

The driver of the car turned to the back seat to face the teenagers who were sitting comfortably together. He smiled kindly at them.

"This is where I was told to take yer," he said in an east-end accent, "She said she'd be waitin' in there for the two of ya. Need a hand with yer bags?"

"We're good thanks," Draco said, "How much do we owe you?"

"Not a penny, pre paid fare. Nice tidy tip an' all. Nice lady your mum," the cabby said to Draco.

"Yeah, she is," Draco smiled, "Thanks a lot," he said as he opened the door to get out of the car.

"Merry Christmas," the driver said.

"Merry Christmas," Kristine and Draco replied, and with that the couple hurried out of the car with their bags and ran into the shelter of the restaurant.

They got soaking wet even over that short distance, but remained smiling as they opened the doors to enter.

The restaurant was not overtly posh, but it had a nice atmosphere. Kristine could smell various spices, and noticed a Chinese dragon on the wall next to where they were standing. Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't believe her," he said in amazement.

"What?" Kristine enquired?

"It's a standing joke," Draco explained, "No doubt you'll get to hear al about it."

A petite Chinese girl came over to them and smiled.

"Table for two?" she asked.

"No thanks," Draco said pleasantly, "We're meeting my Mother here. She's a bit shorter than me, very blonde? She'd be here on her own."

"Can I have your name please, and I'll go and check for you," the waitress said smiling.

"Liam Hilsea," Draco said.

With that, the waitress walked off into the seating areas and disappeared from sight into the back of the restaurant.

Kristine turned to Draco.

"Okay," she said, "Did that just make some kind of sense that I am not in on?"

"Don't worry," Draco laughed, "All will be explained soon enough."

"I hope so, because you are turvy-topsying my world in a way that is not good."

At that point the waitress returned, a smile still on her face.

"Your Mother is waiting for you. Can I take your coats? Get you a drink?"

"Sure," Draco said as he help Kristine off with her coat and handed it over along with his own, "and I'll have a glass of the house red please. Kriss?"

"Same for me thanks," Kristine said.

"Certainly. Your mother is just round the back of the restaurant. If you walk straight though there," she said, gesturing behind a wall division, you should spot her quite easily. I'll bring your drinks over."

"Thank you," Kristine said to the waitress, then followed Draco into the sea of tables of people.

As they rounded the corner Draco took her hand.

"Nervous?" he whispered in her ear.

"Of course not, I'm only meeting my boyfriend's mother for the first time and have the added pressure of knowing I have to make a good impression on her because we're going to be together forever and if she doesn't like me she can quite easily have me killed by your father and his gang of death eaters. Its no big," she replied without taking a breath.

Draco couldn't help but laugh.

"You'll be fine. She love you just like I do," Draco said.

"We can but hope," Kristine said quickly as they approached a table where a single woman sat, waiting for them to arrive.

*

"Were you really nervous?"

"I was petrified," Kristine replied laughing, "I didn't know what to expect, but I certainly wasn't expecting this. You're nothing like the image had of you in my mind. I mean, I knew that everything I had read in the Prophet was just a front, but still...you're not what I was expecting."

"Well I had nothing to go on about you at all, Draco just asked if he could bring his girlfriend home with him for Christmas. He said that you were on our side and that we could trust you, but decided not to elaborate any further."

"You seem to like surprising each other," Kristine said.

The older woman laughed. It was a lovely sound, bubbly and friendly, like a High School girl without a care in the world.

"You mean the restaurant," she said.

"That and the names. Where did 'Liam' come from?" Kristine asked.

"Well I'll tell you that, but I'll have to do it quickly before my darling son returns to the table and stops me from embarrassing him."

The women leaned towards each other, and the elder one of them spoke, a twinkle of mischief in her eye. Kristine recognised that glint, it was the same as Draco's, a look she had seen more times than she could count.

"When he was born, Lucius wanted to name him something unique, Malfoy-esque you could say. I didn't have much freedom back then, I was young and naïve, and Lucius scared me. I didn't want to stand up to him for fear of what would happen, but when I saw our son for the first time I knew that all I wanted was to protect him, to keep him safe. I knew that meant keeping a part of him away from Lucius, a part just for me that he couldn't touch, couldn't corrupt.

Lucius decided on the name Draco. Now don't get me wrong, the name is fine, and luckily for my son, he's one of very few people who can pull it off, but still, Draco? Not the most common name in the world, and I needed him to blend in sometimes with me. So, I asked Lucius if I could give him a middle name, and after much persuading he consented and let me call our son Draco Liam Malfoy.

Whenever Lucius went away I would take Draco with me to the country house, which was owned by my family and now belongs solely to me. We would spend time together and I would teach Draco tings about my side of the family, about the way Muggles live and about the good magic can do. He was always clever, and he understood that he had to play a part when he was around Lucius.

Anyway, that's why we use the name Liam when we're out together. Hilsea is my mother's maiden name. I don't think Lucius even knows that. He was never interested in that side of my past. We need aliases to keep us safe, which reminds me, call me Sarah."

"Okay," Kristine said processing all the information she had been given, "Sarah? Is that your real name?"

"Clever girl," Sarah replied impressed, "Narcissa is just a name Lucius came up for me. For the part I play in his life. Appropriate don't you think? Self centred, arrogant and uncaring. That is what you've heard right?"

"Well," Kristine said awkwardly," Yeah, more or less. But you're nothing like that."

"Good," Sarah said, "Both for convincing everyone that I am like that and for the compliment."

Kristine smiled.

"So, what about the restaurant? Draco seemed to find it amusing," Kristine said.

"It's the dragon," Sarah explained, "We've made a bit of a joke out of his name. Every time we meet up alone, I try to find a Dragon to give to him. This time, I went a bit over board and brought him to 'The Dragon'. Of course, I haven't told him that's the translation yet. Can't wait to see the look on his face when he gets his chopsticks."

As Draco re-approached the table and took his seat next to Kristine they were laughing, but he wouldn't get the joke until much later on.

*

Kristine marvelled at how much Draco looked like his mother. She'd always heard that Draco was a miniature version of his father, and from the Prophet photo's she'd seen, the likeness was credible. But that was the Draco that everyone else knew, the Slytherin, the Death Eater. Kristine's Draco, the real Draco, was his mother's son.

They had the same blue wash eyes that sparked silver with laughter and mischief and the same slender build. It was true that the Malfoy family were a perfect matching picture, all blonde and pale skinned, but no matter how much Draco looked like a Malfoy, he was definitely a Hilsea.

Sarah was slender and average height. She had platinum blonde hair, but it was curled and hung softly over her shoulders. She wore simple Muggle clothes. A pair of black trousers and a cream polo-neck jumper, a pair of high-heeled black boots gave her the height to be level with her son. If Kristine had seen them out together she would assume they were a happy, normal, carefree mother and son. That wasn't the case though, as much as they wanted it to be.

"I know its late," Sarah said to Draco and Kristine as they entered the excessively large country house, "but I think its time you explained yourselves, don't you?"

Draco looked at Kristine, who gave a slight smile and nodded.

"You might want to sit down Mum, you're not going to like this."

They walked through the entrance hall into what looked like a living area. It was lavishly furnished with a grand piano in one corner and a number of glass doors leading into the garden on the far side of the room. Everything in the room looked to be archaic, oak wood and cream decor.

Sarah took a seat on one of the plush sofas in the centre with the room, and gestured for the teenagers to sit on the identical seat opposite her.

Kristine and Draco sat down, Draco holding Kristine's hand in his.

"Mum, do you know what Father is doing? What he has been doing for the past few months?"

Sarah eyed her son suspiciously.

"He's been away on business," she answered.

"Business. That's one way of putting it I suppose," Draco scoffed, "You don't have to try and protect me anymore Mum, I know exactly what my darling Father has been up too."

"He's looking for someone," Sarah sighed, choosing to look at her own hands, "The child of an Auror. The Dark Lord wants this child. He believes that they have power and could potentially harm him,"

Sarah closed her eyes tightly; she didn't want to believe what she was saying.

"It's Sirius's child. I didn't even know he had any kids, but I know that Lucius has killed the Mother and is still searching."

Kristine saw a tear trickle down Sarah's cheek.

"Poor Sirius," Sarah said quietly, "I know him and if anything were to happen to his family. I couldn't believe it when Lucius told me, all I could think of was Sirius and that poor child wherever they are, but I couldn't do anything. I had to play along. Thankfully I didn't know anything, so I didn't have to lie."

Kristine felt a pang of guilt. She didn't want to go through with this anymore. This poor woman must have suffered so much by her husband's hand, and they were adding to her burden.

Draco felt Kristine waver.

"He won't find her Mum. She's right here."