𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

forty-two

Aurora stood inside an empty room of the St. Claire Manor, summoning her patronus.

Only when she did so, it was the usual Scottish Deerhound, instead it was a Thestral. She watched with wide eyes as its wings extended, the animal bowing to her.

She stared at it with wide eyes for a few passing seconds before going back to her task. She added a message and sent the Patronus out to Harry, Zoya, Hermione, and Ron. Where ever they were.

She walked out of the room with a sunken heart, bumping into Celestina.

"Hey– you okay?" Celestina questioned.

She nodded, "Yeah, I uhh... my patronus. It changed. It's not dad anymore," she quietly replied.

"What'd it change to?"

"A Thestral."

"A what?"

"It's a breed of a winged horse with a skeletal body. They're quite gentle, actually. They're only visible if one has witnessed and understood death. They get a bad reputation for the way they look, unfortunately."

Celestina nodded slowly, "Sounds... interesting."

"What's your patronus?"

She shrugged, "No clue, was never able to cast one. I just gave up."

"Well, if you want to learn, I'm sure Remus would be more than happy to teach you. He use to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts."

She nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

Aurora's patronus traveled across the country to Harry, Zoya, and Hermione. They were in a forest in their tent late at night doing absolutely nothing.

They scrambled to their feet and whipped out their wands when the bright blue light shot into the tent. The Thestral ran around the tent, "It's Aurora. I don't know why my Patronus changed, that's a question for another time. I'm safe. There was another Horcrux in America that I was instructed not to say anything about until I retrieved it. The rest of the Horcruxes are in the UK, I would travel to find them but I am in no such condition to do so. There is not much I can say right now, but I can tell you all you need to know when we meet again. Everyone is safe, as well. I hope you all are doing as best as you can wherever you are.

"Another bloody Horcrux?! In America?!" Zoya exclaimed.

"Aurora sounded like she was injured, 'not in the condition to travel,'" Hermione said.

"She said everyone is safe. That's a relief," Harry added.

Zoya walked towards the edge of a tent, "I need some fresh air."

"Do you want company?" Hermione asked.

She shook her head, "If you want, sure."

The two roamed the small forest in silence, enjoying the sound of crickets and the chilly air. They walked around a large boulder, Zoya and Hermione walking on either side of it when a blast was sent towards them. Zoya quickly pushed Hermione back behind the boulder before she was out in plain sight.

She gasped as she felt a pain in her left side, looking down to see red seeping through her jacket.

"Shit, Hermione, I don't think whoever they are saw you," Zoya quietly said as they knelt up against the boulder.

"How?"

"The boulder we walked by. We were on opposite sides, they the blast came from my side," she whispered back, "They hit me, I can't apparate let alone stand correctly."

"We can fight them off!"

They stilled when they heard chatter from the people, the two of them sighing when they heard four different voices.

"Four, and that's just what we heard," Zoya said to her.

"What do you suggest, then?"

"You stay here."

"What? No! You'll get captured! Or killed!"

"Better one of us then both, leaving Harry alone," Zoya reasoned.

Hermione shook her head, "We're not trading lives."

"We're compromised, 'Mione. I doubt they even know he's around," Zoya said. The chatter from the group began to grow louder and louder. She grabbed Hermione's shoulder, "You need to apparate away from here. Now!"

"Not without you!"

"Now! And don't you dare come back here with Harry, we can't risk it." Zoya snapped, her voice shaken.

Hermione blinked as a few tears rolled down her face. She hugged Zoya tightly, "I–" Hermione cut off her words, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay," Zoya whispered, "I'll be okay."

They pulled apart and Hermione backed up slightly while looking at Zoya before apparating away. Zoya let out a pained gasp as more blood trickled down her side. She gripped her wand lightly, "I know you're out there!" a man yelled.

"Then come get me!"

Zoya mustered up all the strength she had and stepped away from the boulder, sending blasts to the group of Death Eaters. There were six, and she was beaten very quickly.

Zoya was taken to the Malfoy Manor on a broom, she was knocked out for the entire time. She was jolted awake when she was dragged off the broom and into the house.

She tried to fight back, but her wound from whatever spell she was hit with was taking its toll. Panic set in when she realized where she was, but she refused to let it show.

She was dragged into the meeting room, thrown onto the ground. She looked up weakly, eyes widening at the sight of Death Eaters sitting at a table. She recognized many of them.

Snape, Draco, Lucius, Fenrir, Narcissa, Grayson, Bellatrix, Lavinia... and the Dark Lord himself.

She tried to scramble to her feet and fight, but it was no use. They all watched her struggle, Snape struggled to hide his concern while Draco and Narcissa fought back tears.

"Oh, lookie here!" Bellatrix exclaimed excitedly.

Voldemort used an Incarcerous spell, tying her up and having her hover over the middle of the table. He took her wand that was on the ground, snapping it in half before throwing the two pieces on the table.

He leaned forward, his face inches from hers, "No tears?"

"You don't deserve them," Zoya replied.

He sat back in his chair with an amused smile, "You were right, Severus, this one is quite brave. But I doubt she'll be by the time we're through with her."

"How did you find me?"

"Right place at the right time, princess," one of her captors spoke up.

Voldemort grabbed her face and she quickly jerked away, causing his nails to scratch her face. He grabbed a hold of her face again, looking into her mind. She tried to fight him off with all the strength she had, proving useful. He eventually let go of her in anger as she sighed in relief.

Blood dripped onto the table from her wound, "My Lord, if I may speak," Snape spoke up.

Voldemort sat back in his chair, "Go on."

"I believe it might be best to have her healed up before we try to get information from her. She will bleed to death right here if that wound is not taken care of. Miss Kien will be of no use to us if she is dead."

"Very well."

Zoya's bounds were released, causing her to fall onto the table with a loud thud. She groaned in pain from her fall and her wound. She looked down the table at her broken wand, "Bloody fucking hell," she muttered.