janus ~ hermione granger

lxxxii

the next day, while madison taylor recovered, the rest of the death-eaters finalized their plan.

"look like it's your time to shine," a man said as he walked in to take off maddy's chains.

"get out," draco crossed his arms. although the other death-eater wasn't scared of the boy, he obeyed and walked out. "do you think you're up to apparate?"

"yeah," maddy sighed, taking a sip of water from the cup draco handed her.

"are you-"

"stop bloody babying me!"

the next thing she knew, they were turning on the spot and appeared in a hallway at hogwarts.

"be safe," he warned as he grabbed crabbe and goyle, running in the opposite direction.

before maddy knew what she was doing, she saw a group of three running up the staircase and headed towards them, pushing them into an empty room.

"i'm too young to die!"

"theo, it's just maddy!"

"thank god you're okay," daphne went in for a hug but maddy took a step backwards, pulling up her new shirt to reveal the scar.

"greyback."

"why are we here?" blaise questioned.

"what side do you guys what to fight for?"

"the dark side," theo mumbled.

"no. i asked what side you three wanted to fight for, not the side your parents' want you to fight for."

the trio of slytherins shared a look.

"hogwarts," they spoke in unison.

"that's what i thought, so go out there and kick some death-eater ass," the taylor winked at them, disapparating and appearing behind the weasley's, who were arguing with ginny about her being under-age.

"my whole family's here, i can't stand there waiting alone-"

"i can protect her," maddy spoke out, causing the room to fall silent as their gaze fell upon her.

the small figure, with a scar on her right arm and a dark mark on the left.

a great thump broke the silence, someone crawling out the tunnel and being slightly unbalanced.

"am i too late? has it started? i only just found out, so i-"

percy stopped talking, realizing his whole family was in the room.

"so, 'ow eez leetle teddy?" fleur asked lupin, trying to break the tension.

"i—-oh, yes—-he's fine! yes, tonks is with him—-at her mother's."

all the red-heads were staring at each other.

"uhm, do you have a picture?" maddy shifted uncomfortably, walking towards him, sirius, harry, and fleur.

lupin quickly nodded, pulling out a photograph from inside his jacket and showing it to them. there was a tiny baby with a tuft of bright turquoise hair, waving fat fists at the camera.

"i was fool!" percy roared, causing remus to drop the photograph. sirius snorted and maddy reached for it, the sudden motion stinging her arm. "i was an idiot, i was a pompous prat, i was a-"

"ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry, moron," fred listed.

"yes, i was!"

"well, you can't say fairer than that," fred held out his hand, but was pushed aside by his crying mother.