Chapter 63

Try and Try Again

Draco's POV

The next morning we tried everything we could to destroy the locket. Nothing worked. We tried every spell we knew but nothing could even scratch it. Potter put it around his neck.

"We can't leave it lying around."

We nodded and tried to think of some other way.

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you how to destroy these things?" I asked Potter.

He shook his head and Weasley looked frustrated.

"Uh… how's the arm?"

He looked at me.

"Hurts."

I nodded. I was trying to get along with him as best I could. For Lily's sake. As a few days went by, Potter seemed to be on a short fuse. Weasley was listening to the radio and it seemed to frustrate him more than it would seem. Potter seemed in a trance.

"Potter?"

Lily looked at him and sighed. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"Harry, come back." She said gently.

He looked around.

"You can't let him in, Harry. Dumbledore himself said it. You have to close your mind. It's too dangerous—"

"It's not a candle I can blow out, Hermione! It always burns even if it's just a flicker. Can you understand that?" he said.

He sounded a little ill tempered.

"What did you see?" Lily asked.

"He's found him. Vol-" he looked at the tent. "You-Know-Who. He's found Gregoravitch."

I frowned and Lily took my hand.

"The wandmaker?" Granger asked.

"Yeah. How's you know?"

"Viktor got his wand from Gregoravitch. Most of the Durmstrang students did. What's he got to do with You-Know-Who?"

"He wants something Gregoravicth once had. Dunno what though. But he's desperate to have it, like his life depends on it." He said.

The radio squawked and Potter turned angrily.

"Don't! It comforts him." Granger said.

"It sets my teeth on edge! What does he expect to hear? Good news?"

"I think he just hopes he doesn't hear bad news. I think we all hope that." Lily said.

"How long before he can travel?"

I didn't like his tone.

"We don't know. Lily and I… we're doing our best."

"Well you're not doing enough!"

"Oi! I don't see you doing anything but moping around." I said.

"Draco!"

"And what've you been doing, Malfoy!?"

Granger and Lily got between us.

"Take it off." Granger said.

We all looked at her.

"Take it off. Now."

He slowly took off the locket and handed it to her.

"Better?"

'Yeah loads."

He looked at Lily.

"Sorry."

She hugged him and then walked off.

"It's cold. Even though it's been lying against your skin for days. We need to take it in turns." She said.

We both nodded. She put it around her neck and frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"It feels… evil. I guess that's the only word I could use."

"I don't like it. The sooner we get rid of it, the better. The elf said it was evil." I said.

"On that, we will always agree." Potter told me.

I smirked. I looked at Granger.

"Just uh… be careful with that… Hermione."

She smiled a bit when I said her first name.

"Well, if I'm gonna be around, and I plan to, I should start using your proper name right?"

"Right."

I nodded and went to get firewood.

Lily's POV

I took first watch that night. The radio was crackling inside and then I heard,

"…Severus Snape is the newly appointed headmaster of Hogwarts…"

My eyes widened. Harry came out and looked at me.

"Did you hear it?"

All I could do was nod.

"I don't really know what to say."

"Don't say anything."

He knelt down and hugged me. I closed my eyes and hugged him tightly. I was worried about my father, but I could never tell Harry. I couldn't tell him why dad had done what he did.

"Why don't you go on in? I'll take over the watch. Get some rest, Malfoy's already asleep."

I nodded and kissed my brother's cheek.

"I love you, Harry."

"I love you too. Everything will work out." He said.

I nodded and went inside. Hermione and Ron were asleep. I went further into the tent and found Draco. I smiled when I saw him. Whenever he slept, he was always so handsome. Not that he wasn't handsome when he was awake. I sat down on the edge of the cot and took a deep breath.

"Lily?"

Draco sat up and looked at me.

"Dad's been made headmaster of Hogwarts." I whispered.

He sighed and put his arm around me.

"I wish Weasley wouldn't listen to that bloody thing. I'm sorry, darling."

I shook my head.

"It's okay. At least I know where dad is."

He rubbed my arm and I looked at him.

"I just want this to all be over, you know? I want everything to go back to normal."

"I know, I know. We all do." He said gently.

I laid my head against his chest and sighed.

"I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too."

He laid back down with me in his arms.

"Try and get some sleep." He told me.

He kissed the top of my head and I closed my eyes. I thought about how everything was before. When I was growing up, before Hogwarts. Or the day I met Draco and the time I've spent with my brother. I managed to fall asleep with those thoughts in my head and in my heart.

Harry's POV

The enchantments worked… but the snatcher could smell Hermione's perfume. We went back to the tent and Ron woke up.

"We have to go. We're not safe here."

"What?"

"Snatchers."

'I told you, Ron's not strong enough to apparate."

"Then we'll have to go on foot."

I walked over to wake up my sister, but she looked so tired. I bit my lip and woke up Malfoy.

"Quiet. We have to leave. Snatchers are around. Help us pack up and let her sleep a little longer."

He nodded and very carefully got up.