ATHENE {remus lupin}

ELEVEN

Athene Malfoy had been staying at 12 Grimmauld Place for exactly a week. In that week, Sirius Black had decided that he did not like her being there one bit. Before she had shown up on his doorstep, himself and the only other remaining marauder had been living quite contentedly, reminiscing on the past and working for Dumbledore. Sure, this was a mission which Sirius could get involved with without risking himself, but the sheer presence of the death eater girl around his house haunted him.

Sirius and Remus had wanted to begin questioning the girl immediately, but Dumbledore had insisted on letting her have a week to 'settle in'. So for the past seven days Athene had sat silently in the living room staring at the family tree tapestry which engulfed the room. Sirius and Remus had argued about who would 'guard' her at what time. They both found her presence unsettling. 

Sirius cleared his throat to alert the Malfoy girl to his presence. She looked up at him, her eyes empty and dull. 

"So- uhm- Athene," he coughed out. "It's been a week since you came here and well, we think that it's important that we start getting some information from you." Sirius looked to his friend to back him up, "don't we, Remus?"

"Oh, yes. Of course."

Athene nodded at the two men. "Alright."

"So, we have a list of things that we'll discuss with you over the next few weeks. At the same time Remus is going to assess your wandless magic."

She nodded again. "Can I hear this list?"

"Oh, yes. Uh- Remus, you have it don't you?"

The man looked confused and glanced at Sirius through narrowed eyes. "No, Dumbledore sent it to you." Sirius stared back, equally confused, and Athene could have almost laughed at how flustered the two of them were getting, she didn't though of course. 

"Right," Lupin began. "Here it is. So, first of all will be general information and names of death eaters. Then more detail on your family and peers, we need a definitive list of who exactly is working for You-Know-Who. We also need information on the prophecy and eventually, we will need to hear about Ashley Smith, the whole order deserves to know."

Athene stiffened and sighed silently, "okay," came her timid voice. "I can't tell you anything about the prophecy though, that's all at the Manor, I only overheard Lucius speaking about it once."

Remus nodded at her, "speaking of Lucius, it would be most beneficial to have a record of his crimes against you, perhaps it would make a good case against him."

Athene smirked at that which annoyed Sirius. "What have you got to smile about?" 

"Nothing. It's just, do you really think that this war will be won through court cases?"

Sirius sighed, "I forget that Slytherins are pessimists."

"Says the man that refuses to believe that there is any good in me."

"You've killed people." Was all he replied.

Athene felt her nostrils flare at this. She was fed up of being called a murderer whenever she tried to have a conversation with someone. She didn't mean to let all of her emotions burst out, but they did regardless. She stood up, so that she was fully facing the curly haired man. Her fists were clenched and her eyes were bright and alive, for once, she looked as if she had a purpose.

"Alright Sirius, fucking hell. You win. I killed her. I killed my best friend. Do you have any idea what happened? Does the fact that Lucius was using the cruciatus curse on my mother until I did it make any difference? Or how about the fact that the boy I once thought I loved had his wand to my throat, or that my other best friend was telling me that she was destined to die? Maybe the fact that my brother told me that he'd take me to the Dark Lord himself if I didn't do it will make you understand the tiniest bit that I didn't want to fucking kill somebody."