- 1 3 8 - ADRIAN'S CONFESSION

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AS SOON AS THE SPELL WAS SHOT, THE DOOR TO THE SHOP BURST OPEN

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AS SOON AS THE SPELL WAS SHOT, THE DOOR TO THE SHOP BURST OPEN. Narcissa and Draco Apparated away quickly, not to be seen by the incoming Order members. They only Apparated to Diagon Alley on the outside, acting as if nothing was wrong. Narcissa pulled him in the nearest shop, the Apothecary, where she decided she would get Severus supplies for what he is doing for her. Voldemort, however, grabbed his snake and sent an evil smirk to the Order members before leaving in a puff of black smoke.

Lorelei only stared at the two dead entities in the room with the same coldness she stared at her mother, her uncle. She was tired, emotionally drained. No one had suffered nearly as much as she had since she joined the wizarding world, and she was tired of it. She refused to join the Dark Lord, but she felt like he was winning. What was the point when everything she loved was getting pulled from underneath her feet?

"Stand up, Lor. Come on, love," Nymphadora spoke hastily as Mad-Eye Moody examined the body of the dead owner. Lorelei let out a strangled cry, only because it was lodged in her throat from seeing the curse hit the crab. "I know. It's too much, I know. Let's get you to George, or do you want Remus? Molly and the kids are in Diagon getting their things... I bet Harry's around. What do you need me to do, Lorelei?" Tonks had no idea what to do in this situation, but it was so familiar. It always happened to Lorelei.

"Nymphadora, hold on. I need to know what happened. Lorelei, you need to tell me what happened," Moody said, trying to tone down the gruffness of his voice. He truly felt terrible for the girl, but he had to know what to tell Kingsley and Dumbledore.

Lorelei glanced from the crab to the wizard who looked as if he was trying to be patient. "Pettigrew came to warn me about something, never got around to it because I called him out on being a traitor to buy time to find a way out. Voldemort came in soon after saying I was to join his side. Narcissa and D-Draco came in with B-Brizo. They were in our flat, Moody... we can't live there if they can get in so easily! They wanted to kill George or Fred, but they could only get Brizo. I hate this, Tonks. I hate this-" she broke off, crying loudly, making even Moody flinch at the tone.

He knew the Dark Lord wanted Lorelei because of her Black blood, but was he really going to try and force her? Why didn't he kill her? Glancing at the shop owner, he frowned at Lorelei again. "One more question, and then you can go. I promise. What happened to Miss Driscoll?"

"Imperioed by Pettigrew, killed by Nagini," Lorelei choked out, glancing pleadingly at Tonks. "I need George. B-Bring me to George."

"Come on, love. Alastor, I'll come to find you at Hogwarts?" Tonks asked, helping Lorelei to a standing position after she had picked up the dead shell of Brizo.

"Yes, I'll be there as soon as I clean up here. If you're there first, summon Kingsley," Moody gruffed out before sending Lorelei what he could make of a smile and a pat on the back. "It'll be all right, kid."

Tonks held Lorelei close to her as they began to walk to Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. She kept Lorelei's head down as they passed people who seemed all too excited and unaware of what had just gone down in Flourish and Blotts. Tonks could see a few people glancing at them wearily, but no one dared speak to them. Lorelei put Brizo safely in her pocket until they reached her home.

"I promise the Order will put every protective enchantment we know on your flat," Tonks said, trying to reassure the girl.

Lorelei looked up at the shop coming into view and immediately felt the burden in her mind start messing with her. George and Fred are so tired of worrying about her, she just knows it. With this, she'll be sad again, and they'll get aggravated. How could she do this to them again? Pausing in her steps, Tonks looked over at her worriedly.

Lorelei glanced around and her breath caught in her throat when she caught the eyes of Adrian Pucey, someone she hadn't seen in a few months. Tonks noticed her hesitation and pleaded to keep moving, but Adrian had a guilty look on his face. Lorelei had to speak to him, for whatever reason she felt the need to do so.

"I-I need to speak to him," Lorelei said, voice quivering because she really didn't know if this was a good idea.

Tonks spoke out about her hesitation. "Lor, let's get you to George--"

"I need to."

"Then, I'll be right there with you," Tonks said firmly. It was obvious Lorelei was going to need to be heavily guarded almost like Harry now. At least until Voldemort stopped trying to recruit her, which could be never.

Lorelei nodded as they changed paths to the boy who looked around fearfully as they approached. He wouldn't admit this aloud, but he was frightened of Lorelei. With this Auror next to her, he almost shit his pants. Smiling as much as he could, he bowed slightly in acknowledgment. "Lorelei."

"Adrian," she was able to say as she wiped a few stray tears furiously.

He glanced at Tonks who turned her head to give them a sort of privacy. He bit his lip before frowning. "I-I tried to keep Pettigrew from opening his mouth, you have to believe me. Apparently, he's been spying on you since you moved in with the Weasleys. Whatever they did to you, I'm sorry. Don't join, don't do this to yourself--"

"Adrian," Lorelei said again. "You weren't there. It wasn't your fault."

"But I knew about it! I could've--"

"Could've gotten killed if you were to try to do anything. I won't try to understand why you're on that side, but it's too late. You better go before more Aurors arrive," Lorelei said with a smile, as much that she could've mustered.

Adrian flinched as if he was in pain. He scratched at his forearm where Lorelei knew the mark laid. "W-What did they do?"

"Brizo is dead."

Adrian didn't know what he was expecting... maybe her getting tortured, maybe her death at the next meeting, maybe the death of one of the Weasleys, but not the crab. He remembered when Barty Crouch tortured the crab in their sixth year, and he knew how much she loved that crab. Feeling like absolute shit, he said, "Nothing I say will make it better, but I hope you believe me when I say I'm sorry. I sort of wish we could go back in time, back to the Yule Ball before all of this started."

"Would the outcome have changed?" Lorelei snapped harshly.

Adrian stayed quiet.

"Then, going back in time would do nothing. You'd still be here with a leader to follow. I'd still be here awaiting orders to fight off every last one of you until I'm free again."

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