January 1979
"It's not working, my Lord," Lucius Malfoy said while he stared into the fire place.
"You heard what the prophecy said, Lucius," Lord Voldemort stood, glaring towards Malfoy. "Are you telling me you will fail to do such a simple task?"
"My efforts simply aren't enough," he gulped nervously, as if the words spoken could be his last. "Love is a convoluted thing."
"It seems," Voldemort turned, his mere presence scaring Lucius. "You don't seem to care about the fate of your leader."
"Oh I do, I do!" He fell to his knees. "Please, my Lord, I will do anything."
"What did you so to Nathaniel Blackwell?" he flicked his eyes down at Malfoy, as if he was nothing more than dirt.
"I finished him off," Lucius replied, dusting himself off.
"Hmm you seem to do one thing right!" Voldemort laughed. It was haunting, and encapsulated the lack of sympathy he could ever feel for anyone.
"If you don't follow through with this baby, your actions will not matter."
"What if the baby is not born, my Lord?" Lucius asked. "Wouldn't that remove the problem altogether?"
"You ignorant fool," Voldemort spat. "You know what happens when concepts of time are messed with. It could threaten everything I have worked for."
"I am nothing but stupid," he bowed before him again."Please, my Lord, what can I do?"
"Give her this," he handed him a small capsule of something shiny.
"Amortentia?"
***
"Have you gone nuts, Hallie?" Fred asked. "Why would you want to pay him a visit, of all people in this world?"
"So maybe I'm completely nuts!" She shrugged her shoulders and laughed out of frustration. "Why am I crazy though Fred? Crazy for wanting some answers after I've watched people know the truth before I do? Everyone is always one step ahead of me. Always. They know my business before I even comprehend what it means!"
"I don't understand why you think Malfoy is going to give you any answers," Fred folded his arms. "You know what type of man he is, Hallie."
"God, I am sick of it. Everything, absolutely everything around me is falling to pieces. It's to the point where I don't even know who I am anymore. Then I think about what I used to be like and I realised it wasn't all that bad. I can't do a thing to change what is happening, what people say or what they do or what happens to me. Each time I try, I'm sunk into more confusion and more lies—"
She took a breath.
"Surely Fred, you can't blame me for wanting a little bit of clarity? Huh? Oh maybe the world will begrudge me that as well."
"Alright, alright," he sighed. "Don't be going all Miss dramatic monologue on me now before we even think of a plan."
"You want to help?" Hallie said shocked.
"Pranksters promise, remember?"
"Oh Freddy," she smiled. "Thank you."
"Floo powder is the only thing going to get you there because you can't apparate there yourself," Fred outlined on the piece of paper.
"You can't apparate in Hogwarts at all anyway," Hallie said. "God, Hermione said that enough whenever we were in first year anyway."
Fred chuckled."Dumbledore will know that you're out of Hogwarts."
"Ugh that man seems to know everything," she sighed, half joking. "What do you propose that we do?"
"I think if you told him someone was coming with you, he'd let you go."
"Who on earth would want to come with me to somewhere like Malfoy Manor?"
"Me," Fred offered. "I'd go with you."
"No," Hallie shook her head. "No you're not. I forbid it. This is my business and I'm not getting you dragged into it."
"Oh Hals, I got dragged into your business a long time ago. Come on now," he laughed.
"I am not letting you put your safety at risk for me Fred!" Hallie voiced. "Mrs Weasley would kill me and I'd never forgive myself if Lucius tried to hurt you,"
"You've done enough for me," Hallie said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You truly have, you've honestly been the greatest friend anybody could've wished for but I will not let you go there. No way, I need to do this by myself."
"Greatest, huh? I'll never let you forget that you said that," he joked.
Hallie laughed. "I need to go to Dumbledore I think."
"Alright then," Fred nodded. "Let's go."
***
"Please Professor," Hallie begged. "I need to do this."
Dumbledore smiled calmly at Hallie. "As headmaster of Hogwarts, it is my duty to protect all students. Considering the circumstances of what is occurring in the wizarding world, it would not be safe to go."
"You'd let Harry go," Hallie folded her arms. "You literally let him go down to the Chamber of Secrets in our second year to destroy something with a basilisk fang while the memory of you-know-who stood in front of him."
"Let's not forget the Philosopher's stone business, the Sirius Black malarkey and the triwizard competition last year," she took a step forward. "Let's just say, you're not like most headmasters, sir."
Fred look gobsmacked by the complete aura and audacity of Hallie. He had to admit though, she was really quite intelligent.
"Ah, Miss Blackwell," he nodded. "You remind me a lot like your grandfather," he blinked slowly. "A brisk nature about you. Always acquiring to get things done and if anybody stood in his way, well, he'd find a way around them."
"I never met him," Hallie sighed, feeling a little weaker in the heart. "I wish I had though."
"It does not do well to dwell on death," Dumbledore voiced. "That can lead you to forget about the living."
"So Professor," Fred began. "What about the floo powder then?"
"He already said I couldn't go," Hallie sighed.
"Ah, I said it would not be safe to go," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "With a few safety precautions, we could send you there."
"Oh really?" She said, shocked that she had actually managed to convince him. "What safety precautions do you mean?"
"Take this with you"
Dumbledore handed her a small crystal stone that reflected in the window. It was bright. Brighter than anything she had ever seen in her life. It made her feel happy, and protected. Before she could say anything, Fred open his mouth.
"No offence, Professor," he said, before saying something offensive. "What is a bloody rock going to do to save her?"
"This rock is entranced with magical capabilities,"Dumbledore began. "To make it work, all you must do is believe it."
"Okay," Hallie nodded, oddly understanding what he meant.
"You must go now by Floo Powder," Dumbledore nodded.
"I'll be back soon, okay?" Hallie promised.
"Stay safe," Fred said, worried.
Hallie stood in the fire place and waited for Dumbledore to throw the dust over her. Before he did, Hallie cleared her throat to voice where she wanted to go.
"Malfoy Manor."
Dumbledore threw the dust over her, and a strange whirling sensation came to her body. She spun around, which made her feel sick and dizzy, like on a Merry go round whenever she was younger. Suddenly, everything went black, before she ended up in a garden, across from a large black mansion that stood gloriously in front of a hill. Hallie didn't feel welcomed, but rather taken aback and afraid. However, she was glad of one thing. No one else would get hurt if something happened.
She carefully knocked on the door, when a small creature opened it. She recognised that the little creature was a house elf. The House Elf didn't look as friendly as the ones Hallie had met in the kitchens back when she was first year.
"Hello," she smiled at them.
The elf nodded. "Should I get my master?"
"Erm," Hallie hadn't really thought of what she would do once she got there. "If you could please guide me to the main part of the hallway. Wherever he is please."
"Mr Malfoy likes to keep visitors to a minimum," they said. "What business do you have here?"
"I have a few questions for him," Hallie said politely. "I was expecting a lot more security here, erm— what's your name?"
"Effy," the young elf said. "There are thousands of protection spells in all of the other rooms except this one. Mr Malfoy prefers to stay out of it."
"I can see why," she joked, but the house elf didn't laugh. She didn't seem as welcoming, but Hallie wondered why she wanted to help her.
"Master," the elf bowed.
"Are you stupid?" Malfoy spat,. "I didn't want any visitors today!"
"Please, don't blame her," Hallie said, defending Effy.
"I suppose now that you're here you'll have to stay."
"Get out of my sight," he said to the House Elf, and she ran away.
Hallie looked around the dark manor and took in the great roaring fire place that glared into her eyes. Part of her was afraid, not because of the dark furniture or tattoo that she saw on Lucius Malfoy's arm, but with the strange notion that everyone knew that she would be coming here.
She entered the main part of the living room, which had tall wooden dark chairs with a small snake design on the top of them. Malfoy manor didn't make Hallie feel comfortable like the burrow did, it made her feel isolated and alone, withdrawn to the four large walls around her.
"Your name?" Lucius said on a silky voice. Hallie had saw him once before. Back then, he didn't have any grey hair in his head.
"Hallie," she said quietly, only just loud enough for him to hear.
"And your last?"
"That can wait," she said louder, more confidently.
"Well I would like to know what business you have entering Malfoy Manor. Are you a friend of Draco's?" He asked, looking down his nose at her.
"I'm not a friend," Hallie said quickly. "I am a relative though."
"Are you a cousin? Perhaps you're related to one of Narcissa's sisters."
"Not even close," she said with some passive anger.
"Well, then spit it out!" He said, frustrated.
"He's my half brother," Hallie replied, looking him dead in the eyes. Lucius's eyes widened.
"Hello, father."