"I've told you all I know.  My father..." He spat the word bitterly, "...contacted me, gleeful that he had managed to get the one thing that would hurt me, and he's made it clear that he has no longer any ties with me,"

"You and Ginny?" Hermione said disbelievingly.

"Since my Sixth year."

Hermione goggled at him. 

"But – how did we not even know you were a spy?"

"Dumbledore doesn't share everything with his special trio." Draco said scathingly.  Hermione swallowed.  Some trio, she thought, Harry could hardly look at her, and Ron hadn't spoken or moved since they arrived back at Hogwarts.

"Did you find anything out?"

Draco glared at her.

"As much as I hate it, I am my father's son.  Deceiving people is in my veins." He said shortly.  "Yes.  The night before I was found out I listened to a Deatheater's meeting.  I got the basic outline of their plan.  Father found me, I just managed to get back here, but my cover was blown.  I'm about number three or four on their hit list now, after you and Dumbledore of course." He added snidely to Harry.  Hermione shot a look at Harry who avoided her gaze.

"So?" She demanded to Draco,

"So what?" He snapped.

"What's the basic plan?"

He heaved a sigh,

"Voldemort rose a while ago, he didn't need a resurrection plan, he needed one for maintenance.  Obviously Dumbledore had a lot of the powerful protection magic covered, so they had to dig deep, into ancient magic.  He managed to raise himself a despertar." Draco finished his jaw clenched,

"A what?"

Harry has roused from his silent position in the room.  Draco rolled his eyes again.  Hermione swallowed hard and then spoke.

"A despertar bird." She said quietly, Harry stared at her, "I stumbled across it when I was doing extra research for Binns ages ago," she explained.  "It's an ancient protection method from early Spanish magic.  When something is created or revived, this bird is born with it.  It provides a degree of defence; the thing can only be destroyed if the bird is."

Draco didn't attempt to add to or contradict her explanation so Hermione assumed she had hit the nail pretty much on the head.  Harry, still avoiding eye contact made a noise in his throat.

"How hard can it be to destroy a bird?" He muttered.

"Very." Draco shot at him.  "Despertar's are impossible to kill," 

Harry looked at Hermione who sighed her shoulders raising slightly.

"It's true." She agreed morosely.  They sat in silence for a few minutes until the portrait that led into the common room swung open and a group of people entered.  Sirius was accompanied by Remus, Bill and Jade.

Hermione jumped to her feet, her eyes running over Bill.  He looked thinner, his tanned skin still had its unhealthy grey tone, he systematically avoided her probing gaze.  She gritted her teeth; there were an increasing number of people doing that.  Blinking back tears of a mixture of sadness and frustration she looked expectantly at Sirius.  His dark eyes caught hers for a minute, then slid to his godson.  Clearing his throat he addressed the room.

"Dumbledore has asked me to request something of you." He began.  "I trust Malfoy has explained the sketchy idea we have of Voldemort's plan." Hermione and Harry nodded mutely.  Sirius looked in anticipation at Hermione so she repeated her earlier speech.  Sirius nodded.

"Correct.  We are reasonably certain he has his own despertar... however," he cautioned eyeing the crestfallen looks. "There is a complex potion which can destroy despertars." Hermione's head snapped up.

"The fidéicommis potion, created with the essential and pivotal ingredient... the feleshi berry." 

Remus stepped forward.

"There is only one berry for every despertar created; they grow on a single bush in a remote part of Thailand." He paused, "Dumbledore needs a group of us to go and retrieve the berry so that Severus can begin the potion as soon as possible."

Harry sat up straight,

"I'll go."

"Me too." Hermione said not looking at him.  Remus smiled, and a distinctly proud look flashed across Sirius' face.

"Thank you.  You two will be joined by Bill and Jade." Remus said gesturing to the two silent figures beside him.  Draco shifted slightly in his seat and Sirius shot him a look. 

"Hermione, you've met Jade Kington.  Harry – ," Remus stood aside and Harry shook Jade's hand lightly.

"You both know Bill," Remus said, Hermione felt her stomach lurch, there was no movement between the three of them and after a moment filled of tension, Remus glanced at Sirius then ploughed on.

"Dumbledore has explained to Bill and Jade the logistics of the mission, but in honesty, there isn't much to grasp.  Getting the berry is all that needs to be done.  He had arranged a portkey for you..." He said digging in his robes and pulling out a mouldy looking wooden goblet.  He brushed aside some old chocolate frog cards obviously left by the last students to inhabit the common room, and set the cup on the small round table.  Jade and Bill immediately stepped up to the edge of the table.  Harry was drawn aside by Sirius, they muttered a brief conversation, Sirius pulled him into a quick embrace then Harry joined them at the table.  Remus' arms curved around Hermione, he kissed the top of her head, and murmured into her ear,

"Be strong.  I trust you." He drew away and squeezed her arm encouragingly.  Sirius grasped her in a tight hug; he pulled away and kissed her cheek.  He didn't say anything but the faith and affection that reverberated from his eyes said everything.  Hermione managed a weak smile and even a look to Draco before she felt Sirius spin her around to her place in the circle.  Just before she dropped her hand to the cup she looked up and into Bill's eyes.

"Wake up Virginia!" A sharp, mocking voice rang across the room.  Ginny's head snapped up.  She stared at the man in front of her, it wasn't Ben.  But she didn't need to ask this man's name.

"You!" She spat in disgust.  Lucius Malfoy rose one silvery eyebrow, a motion that reminded her forcefully of Draco but the shivers that Lucius sent up her spine were a million miles away from the one's Draco gave her. 

"Why, that was rather rude.  My name is Lucius Malfoy." He said softly.  Ginny flinched.  "I'll have to think of some way to teach you a little more respect..." Lucius mused idly, twirling his wand between his thin fingertips.

"You didn't like those insects did you?" He asked maliciously.  Ginny clenched her teeth together, refusing to answer.  Malfoy smirked cruelly.

"You seem like a common girl." He spat, "I don't appreciate your wench like wiles that you've utilised in ensnaring my son.  I know he is weak, but that doesn't mean I forgive calculating whores like you."  He flicked his wand, and Ginny let out a cry of pain.  Long, sharp nails had started to press outwards from the chair to which she was pinioned.  She felt them jabbing agonizingly into her, then one by one, she felt the acute pain as they punctured her skin.