ATHENE {remus lupin}

TWENTY THREE

The witches were running down a long, dark hallway. Athene's blonde hair flowing behind her, Tonks had opted for black hair, feeling that it made her stand out less than pink. They were still gripping each other out of sheer fear. The voices that they had heard had faded, Athene thought that they must be in the parlor, so they continued to run in the direction.

 Suddenly, a man appeared from around a corner, Tonks saw him first and whimpered, pulling Athene behind a wall. The two witches stared at each other in fear.

"Dolohov," Tonks breathed. "He was one of the ones that escaped the other month."

Athene squeezed her eyes shut. "Fuck," she whispered. "This is a fucking suicide mission."

"He didn't see us." Tonks said, unsure who she was trying to convince. She looked around the corner to see the man still standing there. 

"Athene, stun him." 

The blonde witch nodded and looked around the corner to see him, she pictured him in her head and spoke two words- petrificus totalus, and he dropped onto the floor. She spoke a few more words in her head and his body was at her feet. The two hauled it behind the wall and continued down the hallway.

"It's a bit mean, to leave his body there..." Tonks started.

"Now's not the time to be a Hufflepuff, Tonks."

"Right. Perspective." She said breathlessly.

There were voices, in a room behind them, and also ahead of them. 

"Where are they," Tonks murmured.

"Main library is behind us, parlor ahead."

"Library?" Tonks asked. Athene nodded. They continued to walk down the hall. Athene's arm was stinging, she thought it was probably just being around so many death eaters. The closer they got to the main part of the house, the more the stabbing pain returned. 

"Fuck," she muttered. "I think he's here."

"As in, You-"

"As in fucking Voldemort."

Voices appeared behind them.

"We're dead," Tonks said, tears filling her eyes.

"No." Athene replied defiantly. "We can't go back, there's people back there. We'll listen in on the library, there's places to hide. We might as well try to be useful."

Tonks nodded reluctantly and followed Athene through a passageway and then into a cupboard. They looked through the grates and saw Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. The two witches inhaled sharply.

"He is just a boy, Lucius!" Narcissa shouted.

"I knew where my loyalties lay when I was fifteen, Narcissa." He said calmly.

"Draco is not you," she hissed back.

"He will receive the mark over summer, Narcissa, whether he, or indeed you, like it or not. It is his destiny."

"Do you take pleasure in pushing your child away?"

"He must learn, Narcissa. The Dark Lord told me himself that he is sure that Draco will prove most useful. That is the highest honour, Narcissa. Severus was turning in his seat when he heard it. Draco is powerful and he is trusted, he could be great."

"Draco will be great, Lucius, regardless of what you bully him into."

"Ah, be careful Narcissa." He spoke softly to her, "you almost sound as if you are questioning your faith."