Chapter 13
“What the fuck?” Pansy Parkinson exclaimed, her sharp voice cutting through the tension like a knife. Her dark eyes scanned the scene, taking in the disheveled forms of Draco and Alina sprawled on the floor, Hermione crouched beside Alina with concern etched on her face, and Theo, who looked distinctly unsteady. Her perfectly arched brow lifted in a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.
For a moment, silence hung thick in the room, the weight of what had just transpired leaving everyone at a loss for words. Finally, Theo groaned and ran a hand down his face, his frustration breaking the awkward quiet. “Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Maybe learn to close your floo, mate.”
Draco, however, paid him no mind. His stormy grey eyes remained fixed on Alina, his jaw tight with barely contained fury. “Explain,” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
But Alina wasn’t ready to answer. Her hands pressing to her temples as if trying to piece herself back together. When she muttered, “What the hell is going on?” her voice was barely audible, as though she was speaking more to herself than anyone else.
Hermione straightened, meeting Draco’s heated glare with a warning look of her own. “Give her a second, Malfoy,” she said firmly, placing a steadying hand on Alina’s shoulder. “She’s just been through… whatever that was.”
Draco’s scoff was sharp and bitter, his anger momentarily overriding any sense of composure. “That, Granger,” he spat, his voice trembling with unsteady rage, “was her mind dragging us on a little joyride through my worst fucking memory." Alina flinched at the venom in his tone, but Draco wasn’t finished. His voice rose as he continued, his accusatory words cutting through the air like a whip. "So forgive me if I’d like some answers. Oh, not to mention the memory we watched of her attending Hogwarts our seventh year!”
Pansy, standing off to the side, tilted her head and crossed her arms, her smirk deepening as she leaned against the fireplace mantel. “Well, this is dramatic,” she drawled, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I should’ve brought popcorn.”
Theo glared at her. “Not helping, Pansy. What do you mean she was at Hogwarts?”
Alina’s breathing had steadied, but her hands still trembled slightly as they rested in her lap. She looked up at Draco, her expression a conflicted blend of apology and defiance. “I didn’t go to Hogwarts,” she said firmly, though her tone wavered under the weight of her own uncertainty. “And I didn’t mean to… Do whatever the hell I just did,” she added softly. Her voice cracked at the last word, and she quickly looked away.
Draco’s jaw tightened, his fury flaring again. He straightened slowly, brushing off the dust that clung to his sleeves with deliberate movements. “You need to get a handle on this,” he said to Alina in cold voice.
Before anyone could respond, Hermione crossed the room in a few quick strides. Without hesitation, she grabbed Draco’s arm, her fingers digging in just enough to demand his attention. Her eyes, fierce and unrelenting, locked onto his with startling intensity.
“You need to get a handle on it,” she said sharply, her voice low but charged.
Draco froze, taken aback. His lips parted as if to argue, but the words didn’t come. Hermione’s stare didn’t waver, her unspoken meaning cutting through him with precision: his emotions were spiraling, and she wasn’t about to let him lash out unchecked.
Draco exhaled sharply through his nose and closed his eyes for a brief second. When he opened them again, the fire in his gaze had dimmed. He began to Occlude, pulling his chaotic thoughts into neat compartments, forcing calm into his mind with practiced effort. Slowly, his breathing steadied, and the tension in his shoulders eased, though his face remained impassive.
Hermione released his arm only when she felt the change in his posture. “Good,” she said curtly before stepping back toward Alina.
The room fell into an uneasy hush, the charged silence thick with unasked questions and the weight of what they’d just witnessed.
"So I'm guessing you didn't see the masked men in the coffee shop then.." The trailed off as more than one person in the room shot him an angry glare.
"Alina," Potter began, ignoring Theo.
"Ali." She corrected him sternly.
He held his hands up in surrender. "Ali, can you explain to us why Malfoy seems to think you attended Hogwarts?"
She looked around the room, fear apparent now in her features. She looked again to Malfoy as if searching for something. Whatever silent exchange occurred seemed to soften Malfoy if a fraction, and gave Ali the courage to press forward. She cleared her throat, "They were going to kill me."
Harry leaned forward slightly, his expression stoic but encouraging. “Who was?” he asked gently.
"The woman, she said they were glad I was there but her intentions were screaming at me. They were going to kill me."
“Alecto Carrow was there. In the memory.” Draco’s voice, low and strained, came from where he stood in the corner of the room.
"They rounded up all the muggle borns before the welcome feast even started that year." Theo said, horror and understanding flitting across his face.
Hermione’s hand flew to her mouth, her expression one of stunned disbelief. “That’s awful!” she gasped.
Pansy’s smirk was gone now, replaced by something grim and haunted. Her arms uncrossed as she straightened from the mantel. “They kept them in cages—some of them,” she said, her voice quieter than usual but edged with bitterness. “A few of us managed to smuggle out some of the less recognizable younger ones… but there were so many left behind.”
The room sank deeper into silence, the weight of Pansy’s words settling heavily over everyone. Each person seemed lost in their own thoughts, grappling with the grim picture painted before them.
"So is someone going to explain the hell is going on here." Pansy continued.
Before anyone could answer, the floo once again roared to life, Blaise Zabini stepping forward.
"Oh for fucks sake! someone close the damn floo before bloody Rita Skeeter walz's through." Theo exclaimed.
Blaise brushed the soot off of him and looked around at everyone in the room, and rolled his eyes. "This ought to be good."
****
After relaying the nights events once again to the newcomers, the group settled into uneasy chatter. Harry cleared his throat, taking charge before chaos could ensue. “Alright, everyone, listen up,” he commanded, his voice steady and authoritative. “Draco, your place isn’t safe. If those attackers saw you, it’s only a matter of time before they try again. Ali, you should come with me to my house, Grimmauld Place. It’s under a Fidelius charm and secure.”
Alina stiffened, her eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”
Harry pressed on. “Malfoy, you need to start working with her on Occlumency and Legilimency immediately. We have to get to the bottom of that memory, and you’re the only one here with enough expertise to help her control her mind.”
"That was an absolute disaster but sure lets do it again!" Draco protested.
"He's right Malfoy, it would be pretty dumb of us to bring in another legilimens. Just about as dumb as forgetting to close your floo during a crisis." Hermione added looking at Blaise and Pansy, "no offense."
Neither seemed to care.
"Oh because I had all the time in the world to worry about closing the damn floo between Theo being knocked out and my mind being assaulted by an amatuer!" Draco shot back.
"Ok, enough. We are not involving anyone else when we have no idea who to trust at this point. Malfoy, you will have to get over it and find a way to teach her." Harry said.
“Don’t I get a say in this?” Alina snapped, her voice rising as she looked from Harry to Draco. “You’re all standing here making decisions about my life—where I stay, what I do—like I’m some kind of object to be shuffled around! You lot are strangers to me!”
Draco stepped forward, his expression hardening. “We’re trying to keep you alive, in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I didn’t ask for your protection!” Alina shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. “I don’t want anything to do with your magic or your world! Just let me leave!”
Hermione frowned, stepping closer to Alina, her tone soothing but firm. “Ali, I understand how you’re feeling, but you’re in danger. You can’t just walk out of here. They’ll find you.”
“Then let them!” Alina’s words hung in the air like a slap. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “This isn’t my fight. I didn’t ask for any of this!”
Draco’s jaw tightened, his voice lowering to a warning growl. “Be reasonable.”
“No.” Alina’s tone was resolute now, and she turned on her heel, heading for the door.
“Wait—” Harry began, but Alina spun back around, her glare icy.
“If you stop me, it’s kidnapping. You can’t force me to stay,” she said sharply, her words daring anyone to challenge her. The group exchanged uneasy glances, no one quite sure what to say. Finally, Harry relented with a frustrated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Fine. We won’t stop you. But—”
Before he could finish, Alina turned away marching toward the door, slamming it hard on the way out.
Theo cut in, his voice reluctant but steady. “I’ll follow her. Discreetly.” He shot a warning look at Draco before continuing. “Someone has to make sure she’s safe. You lot figure out what’s next.” Theo sighed heavily and muttered, “Bloody brilliant,” before grabbing his coat and following her trail.
In the uneasy silence that followed, Hermione turned to Pansy, her tone suddenly casual but with a clear edge of purpose. "Pansy, if you are available, I could use your assistance in the lab for a moment."
Pansy narrowed her eyes, immediately sensing Hermione’s intent. “Oh, don’t even try it, Granger. You’re just trying to get rid of me.”
Hermione crossed her arms. "Ill be right behind you."
With an exaggerated sigh, Pansy grabbed her bag. “This had better be worth it,” she muttered before stepping into the floo and vanishing in a swirl of green flames.
When the room quieted once more, an almost palpable tension hanging in the air, Harry turned to the remaining group: Draco, Hermione, and Blaise. The weight of their shared concerns pressed down on them, and he knew they needed to approach the situation with careful deliberation. “Alright,” he said gravely, his voice steady yet laced with urgency. “Let’s figure out if Ali showing up in our lives is simply a coincidence—or if it has something to do with the prophecy from Ember.”
Draco leaned back against the wall, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his expression dark and brooding, as if he were contemplating the weight of the world. “If it’s not a coincidence…” His voice trailed off, leaving the implication hanging in the air like a storm cloud, heavy with unspoken dread.
Hermione nodded, her brow furrowed in deep concentration, the gears of her mind visibly turning. “Theres no way right? This prochecy and then suddenly Ali shows up, an escaped traumatized muggle born who can't control her magic because she is terrified of it and then suddenly is being chased through an alley by some masked unknown wizards."
Blaise agreed, "it seems highly unlikely that the two events aren't related."
The conversation hung in the air, each of them lost in their thoughts. Harry paced near the fireplace, his jaw tight as if forcing himself not to bark orders or leap into action. Instead, he let out a slow breath and spoke with the measured calm of a seasoned leader. “Here’s the plan. Blaise, if you are willing to help, I need you to dig into Alina’s background. Quietly. If there’s any trace of her being connected to someone—or something—that could explain her involvement, I need to know.”
"She doesn't have any family, she grew up at St. Josephs childrens home." Draco offered.
Blaise inclined his head, his expression thoughtful but unreadable. “Consider it done. I’ll reach out to my contacts and see what I can uncover.”
Harry turned to Hermione, whose face was still lined with concern. “Granger, focus on the prophecy and this mystery illness. If Ember’s vision has any specifics we missed—or if there’s a pattern we’ve overlooked—now’s the time to figure it out.”
Hermione nodded sharply. “I’ll revisit the notes and cross-check them with recent magical disturbances.” She shot a glance at Draco.
Draco, pushed off the wall and straightened. His voice was sharper now, back to its usual sardonic edge. “Fine, I’ll work with Alina on accessing the memory—assuming she even comes back before she gets herself killed.”
Harry’s frown deepened. “That’s if Theo doesn’t lose her. He’s resourceful, but if she’s determined to disappear… ” His words trailed off, the unspoken fears lingering in the room.
“Let’s not borrow trouble,” Hermione said briskly, though worry flickered in her eyes. “For now, we can only focus on what’s in front of us.”
Harry rubbed the back of his neck and nodded, his shoulders set with the weight of his decisions. “Alright. Let’s regroup tomorrow evening. Blaise, send me anything you find. Hermione, I’ll check in with you before I head back to the office. Malfoy—” He paused, meeting Draco’s eyes with a steady gaze. “Work with her. I don’t care if she fights it. If we’re going to understand what’s going on, we need that memory.”
Draco didn’t respond, but his jaw tightened, his silence an agreement of sorts.
The group began to disperse, the room losing its intensity as the occupants peeled off one by one. Blaise gave a lazy wave before stepping into the floo, vanishing in a burst of green flames. Hermione gathered her notes, her mind clearly already racing ahead to her research. She gave Harry a small nod before leaving, her departure quieter but no less purposeful.
Draco lingered, his gaze distant as he stared at the doorway Alina had disappeared through. Harry, sensing his reluctance, clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Malfoy. For now, focus on keeping your head.”
Draco shrugged off the gesture, his eyes narrowing. “I always do,” he muttered.
Harry watched him, the faintest flicker of doubt crossing his features before he shook it off. With a sigh, Harry left through the floo.
****
The lab was quiet except for the gentle bubbling of a cauldron and the soft scratch of quills on parchment. Hermione leaned over a stack of notes, her eyes scanning rows of data with focused intensity, while Pansy stood by the counter, a vial held up to the light. The faint smell of herbs and disinfectant hung in the air.
“I still don’t see why gillyweed extract reacts like this,” Pansy muttered, setting the vial down with an exasperated sigh. “It’s supposed to neutralize toxins, not amplify them. Are you sure this strain of bacteria is connected to the Black Cat Flu?”
Hermione didn’t look up from her parchment. “It’s not the same strain,” she admitted, “but it’s similar enough to warrant testing. The magical resistance patterns are... alarming, to say the least.” She tapped her quill against her notes, her brow furrowed. “I can’t stop thinking about Ember. If Astoria hadn’t contacted me when she did—”
“She wouldn’t have made it,” Pansy finished, her voice sharper than she intended. She crossed her arms and leaned against the counter, her gaze distant. “Blaise was beside himself, and Astoria… I’ve never seen her so scared. Not even when she herself was fighting for her life.”
Hermione nodded grimly, her throat tightening at the memory of the young girl, pale and feverish, clinging to life by a thread. “I’ve never seen the flu act like that before. And now this bacteria…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Something doesn’t add up. It’s like the magic itself is fueling the illness instead of fighting it.”
Pansy tilted her head, studying Hermione with a curious expression. “You’re doing that thing, Granger. Where you get so caught up in your theories that you forget to explain them to the rest of us.”
Hermione allowed herself a small smile. “It’s nothing definitive yet. Just… a bad feeling.” She glanced at the clock on the wall, startled at how late it had gotten. “Oh, Pansy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to commandeer your entire evening. We can pick this up tomorrow.”
Pansy arched a brow, her skepticism clear. “You need to come up with a more subtle way of getting rid of people.”
Hermione blinked up at her. “What are you talking about?”
Pansy gave her a knowing look. “You think I haven’t noticed? There’s something deeper going on here. And, frankly, I’m a little offended that I seem to be the only one left out of this bizarre Slythindoor conspiracy you’ve all got going on.” Pansy started cleaning up her things.
Hermione hesitated, caught off guard. “It’s not like that,” she began, but Pansy waved a hand dismissively and said, “if you told me the whole context, I’d probably be far more useful. Contrary to popular belief, I’m smarter than I look.”
Hermione frowned. “I believe you are incredibly brilliant. How else could you land yourself exactly one point behind Theo every year in school. Why did you do that anyways?"
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Its unbecoming of a lady to outsmart your potential future husband."
"Theo or Draco?" Hermione asked and Pansy laughed.
“Both,” she replied, still chuckling. “My father had his sights on both families the moment I was born. He spent years trying to secure a marriage contract, even when we were still playing in the sandbox.”
Hermione looked as if she was puzzling through something.
"Oh don't bust that large brain of your Granger, its typical pureblood antics."
"So did it ever happen then? Is that why you and Malfoy moved to America together?"
Pansy’s expression shifted, becoming unreadable. “You mean why did I leave everything behind to follow Draco across the Atlantic?” she asked lightly, though the edge in her tone betrayed deeper feelings.
Hermione nodded. “Honestly, yes. I always assumed…” She trailed off, suddenly unsure how to phrase her assumption tactfully.
“That we were shagging?” Pansy supplied bluntly, a wicked smile curving her lips. “Typical. Everyone thought that. May as well let them.”
Hermione blinked, caught off guard. “You mean you weren’t?”
Pansy rolled her eyes. “No, Granger. Draco’s my best friend. I went to America because he needed someone to keep an eye on him. Draco was barely holding himself together after the war. His father was in Azkaban, the Manor felt like a tomb, and every time he stepped outside, he got spat on—or worse. He needed to get away before it destroyed him. And I…” She hesitated, her eyes flickering with something Hermione couldn’t quite place. “I needed to escape too.”
Hermione studied her, her curiosity growing. “Why? You seemed fine after the trials. Confident, even.”
Pansy gave a bitter laugh. “Appearances, Granger. Isn’t that what Slytherins do best? Britain wasn’t kind to me either. After my little… indiscretion during the Battle of Hogwarts, no one trusted me. I couldn’t walk into a shop without someone whispering behind my back.”
“So you left,” Hermione said softly.
“We left,” Pansy corrected. “I thought America would be different. A fresh start. And for a while, it was.”
Hermione didn’t miss the way Pansy’s expression darkened. “But?”
Pansy exhaled, running a hand through her sleek black hair. “Let’s just say trauma has a way of following you, no matter how far you run. And sometimes, you walk right back into it without realizing.”
The ominous weight of her words hung between them, and Hermione’s chest tightened. “What happened?” she asked quietly.
But Pansy’s walls went up immediately. Her posture stiffened, and she shook her head. “Not today, Granger. I came here to talk bacteria, not my personal nightmares.”
Hermione didn’t press further. Instead, she reached for the parchment filled with test results. “And Draco? Did he ever get what he needed from America?”
Pansy’s lips curved into a wry smile. “Draco’s always been good at surviving. It’s the living part he struggles with.”
The room fell silent as they both returned to their work, but Hermione couldn’t shake the feeling that there was far more to Pansy’s story than she was letting on.
****
Theo had always wanted to follow someone. Not in a creepy, stalkerish way, but in the art of the chase way. Now, here he was, finally getting his chance. He was practically bouncing with excitement as he slipped into the small bookstore behind Alina, pretending to browse while his eyes kept darting to her every few seconds.
Alina hadn’t noticed yet—he was good at this, after all. He’d spent too many years learning how to slip in and out of places unnoticed, how to track people without them realizing. It was one of his hidden talents, and it had always been something he did out of necessity, turned into a fun hobby. But this time, it wasn’t just for fun. This time, it was because he needed to keep an eye on her.
Theo smirked to himself as he peeked over the top of a shelf at her. She was so focused on flipping through a thick book that she hadn’t even glanced back once. He shuffled a little to the side, dodging a tall stack of books, and nearly knocked a bottle of ink off the counter. His heart raced as he steadied the bottle, cursing under his breath. He was trying to be stealthy, but of course, the moment he got excited, things had to get a bit... messy. Theo chuckled to himself at his own joke.
“Right,” Theo muttered, “Focus.”
Her movements were deliberate now, as if she were starting to notice something was off. He kept a steady pace behind her, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible, but it was harder than he'd thought. He’d already lost her twice in larger shops, nearly bumping into her as she turned a corner or made an unexpected stop. She had a way of blending into the crowds in a way that made it almost impossible to keep up without getting noticed.
He’d watched her pick out a bottle of shampoo in the pharmacy, then seen her inspect a magazine rack in a nearby newsagent. She hadn’t bought anything—she never did. It was almost like she was trying to be normal, just another person, living a life far removed from magic, and definitely far from whatever danger had been chasing her.
But Theo knew better. The moment she'd stepped out of Draco's building, he’d seen the flicker of suspicion in her eyes—her subtle glance over her shoulder.
As she crossed the street, heading toward the grocery store, Theo shifted his position, slipping into a small café across the street. From the corner of the window, he watched her enter the store, then sighed in frustration as she disappeared into the crowded aisles. She’d done this before.
“Damn it,” Theo muttered under his breath.
He watched her again, trying to predict her next move. She wasn’t going to lose him. He wasn’t going to let her, no matter how many times she ducked into a store or doubled back on herself. His grip on his coffee mug tightened, his patience wearing thin.
It wasn’t until she emerged from the grocery store twenty minutes later, looking oddly calm as if nothing had happened, that Theo began to suspect something. She walked with a deliberate pace, weaving through the people around her, a familiar glint in her eyes—a glance at the cafe over her shoulder.
It was subtle, but it was there. She was aware of him.
Theo leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving her. She walked straight ahead, but this time, she didn’t seem to be heading for any particular destination. She was making random turns, zigzagging through the streets, moving like she knew exactly where he was.
“Bloody hell,” Theo muttered, standing up quickly and tossing some coins on the table. He slipped into the crowd after her, but this time he was careful not to stay too close. She wouldn’t make it easy for him.
Alina’s pace quickened. The instinct to escape was more than apparent now. Theo’s steps faltered for a second, heart hammering as she turned down a narrow alleyway, out of sight from the bustling street.
He cursed under his breath, pushing through the crowd.
When he finally reached the mouth of the alley, he saw the familiar flick of her hair disappear around the corner. She had tried to lose him again.
“Not today,” Theo murmured to himself, eyes narrowing in determination.
He steadied himself, his wand tucked safely inside his coat pocket. One step into the alley, then another, and before he could think any further, Theo apparated directly in front of her, blocking her path as she turned the corner.
Alina let out a startled scream, her eyes wide with shock.
"Fancy meeting you here, Ali-cat," Theo said with a mischievous grin, folding his arms across his chest.
Alina’s mouth dropped open, and she took an involuntary step back. Her surprise quickly melted into exasperation, and she glared at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she said flatly, the corners of her mouth turning down in frustration.
Theo’s smirk widened. “You thought you could lose me in a few shops and alleyways? Honestly, I’m disappointed. You didn’t think I was going to just let you wander around, did you? It’s not safe out here. Especially with... well, with everything going on.”
She crossed her arms, refusing to meet his eyes. “I can handle myself, thank you very much.”
“Sure, sure. Definitely not with the people hunting you. I think I’ll stick around,” he said nonchalantly.
Alina looked at him as if she were about to argue again, but she seemed to deflate, her posture sagging in defeat. “What now, then? You going to drag me off somewhere, are you?”
Theo hesitated for a moment before answering. “I won’t drag you anywhere... But if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer it if you didn’t keep running around the shops for nonsense sake.
Alina let out a resigned sigh. “Fine."
“Good,” Theo said, stepping aside and allowing her to pass. “Now, how about we grab a drink? You could use one, and I could use the company.”
Alina didn’t answer immediately, but after a long pause, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But only because I need to stop feeling like I’m in some poorly-written mystery novel. And you're paying!" She added walking back towards the street.
Theo smiled to himself as he fell into step behind her. For now, at least, he’d keep her safe. And if he was lucky, he might even get to understand the enigma that was Alina. But that, he suspected, was going to take far more time and patience than he’d bargained for.