A Blue Raven [1] // Harry Potter // Draco Malfoy

November 1st 1981

CHAPTER ONE: November 1st 1981

My husband's gone.
For hours now, he left earlier with Celyn to see Dumbledore. It gave me a few hours to decorate the house for her party, all invites had been sent out to the Order for this evening. We knew it was dangerous for all of us to be in one singular place but Celyn wanted her Godparents to be here.
The clocked ticked past five. I started to pace around the decorated house when Frank and Celyn didn't run through the door with her arms out wide.
Using the fireplace, I called Dumbledore.
"Alice, what do I owe the pleasure?" Dumbledore asked as his face appeared in the embers.
"Frank and Celyn, they are not home yet." My voice broke, "You don't think he got them, we've been so careful."
Dumbledore's face changed slightly," Alice, take yourself to your son, I'll have Alister and Remus to do a search with some other Aurors. Do you remember what Celyn and Frank were wearing this morning."
I remember everything down to the blue gloves on her hands and her toy Hippogriff in her hands. Frank had spent ten minutes picking out a shirt the matched his red jumper, I laughed at him when straightening out his collar.
"Good." Dumbledore nodded," Now, lock the doors Augusta will be their soon I'd imagine."
"I want my baby back Albus." I told him, taking short breaths," I want them back, unharmed."
He nodded," We'll do our best – now go."

Sitting in the rocking chair, I held Neville close to my chest – even with Vol- You-Know-Who being suspiciously quiet, the Order wasn't letting a breath go.
I kissed Neville head, thinking back to those dark days. Molly Weasley cried for days after her brothers had been murdered, never left the house. I left Celyn to sit with Bill and Charlie as I helped Author clean the house; it was the least I could do. Neville had been in my arms, using subtle magic to move his blankets when he got cold.
From downstairs the door clicked. Taking my wand from the chest of draws, I held it firmly in front of me. Not taking my eyes from the door, I placed Neville back into his crib.
"Alice!" the Familiar voice of Augusta called from behind the nursery door, "Let me in dear its half-past one."
"Alohomora," I whispered the incantation.
Augusta waddled in, throwing her large red bag on the chair," Why ever did you lock the door?"
"Frank, he's been a while - I didn't want to risk it." I hurried, pulling on my coat," I'm going to go out and look for him."
August rolled her eyes at me," I know my son very well, he can take care of himself."
"Oh, I'm well aware Augusta, but he's not just looking out for himself – he's looking after his two-year-old daughter as well." My eyes like fire when I turned to look at her.
Augusta Longbottom had mixed emotions about me, she loved her son and her grandchildren unconditionally – however, sometimes I think she believes I'll raise them wrong; as if that was ever in consideration.
She nodded," ok, I'll see to Neville. Go, bring them both back – Celyn can't go too long without her potion. When are Lily, James, Remus, Sirius and Hagrid going to be here."
"Around seven I believe?" I told her as I put on my coat," I'll be back."

I disapparated to the one place I knew they had gone. Diagon Alley. The alley was manic, everyone holding a drink in their hands with pumpkins being fitted to the front of everyone' shops. Even with the war, many people on the Alley never let the dark times interfere with the Halloween celebrations.
Pushing my way through the people, I couldn't hear the contagious laugh of my daughter. Near the end of the alley, I piece of paper caught my eye – it was just hovering under an archway next to Gringotts bank. As I got closer, my name wrote itself on the front.

Alice Longbottom.

Standing at the entrance to the archway, I swallowed holding my wand out," Accio Note."
My fingers clenched the note in my hands, I opened in an inch and I was apparated out of the Alley and into a large warehouse space.
"Lumos," I whispered.

Chained to a support beam, Frank has blood running down his face – his body limp and tired. His face was swollen with his right eye severely bruised; within his hand was a scrap of red jumper – the red jumper Celyn left in this very morning.
"Merlin, Frank!" I yelled running up him, dropping my wand so I could hold his face, "What happened? Where's Cel?"
"Crouch, "He forced out, "He took her."
Panic raised in my chest again raising my wand again, "Lumos Maxima."
"is...she...ok?" He whispered," Our baby girl... is she safe?"
I looked around the room," I don't know Frank, I don't know."