"Lupin," Athene said breathlessly, "I need a break."
It had only been two days since the wandless magic practices had begun and Athene felt as if she could sleep for a week. Remus was ruthless and far more powerful than the young witch had anticipated. He resisted every spell which she put on him and when they dueled with wands, she was no match.
"You need to try more."
"Merlin, I am fucking trying."
He rolled his eyes and fired a disarming spell at her, which she wandlessly blocked. She tried to stun him, he blocked it.
"Why can't we stop?" She asked with a huff.
"I've told you, I'm going away for a few days, we need to get in extra practice."
"Where are you going?"
He ignored her. "You'll practice with Sirius a little when I'm gone."
"Not a fucking chance."
Remus laughed. "When I'm back we need to work on occulmency. The Dark Lord and Harry's minds are connected-"
"Well that's fucked up." She cut in.
"So, we need to make sure that your mind is completely closed off to any invasions."
"What? And have you comb through my thoughts? I'll pass."
"You don't have a choice." He said, and walked out of the room. "I'll see you next week."
Athene rolled her eyes and gestured at him behind his back, "always a pleasure, Lupin!"
Remus being in the underworld for the full moon was almost unbearable for Sirius. It was only a week until Harry came home and he used that knowledge to keep himself sane. The Malfoy woman was insufferable. In one day, she had wandlessly stunned him without saying anything. five times.
She did it again and Sirius spun round and pointed his wand at her. She blinked and his wand was in her hand. He slammed his fist on the table and she laughed, how she loved to wind him up.
"I don't know how Moony hasn't bloody murdered you."
"I'm too powerful for him," she said sweetly.
"You're completely insane."
"Runs in the family," she said with a small smile.
"I'm nothing like you or your family. You're all as bloody bad as each other."
"My mother isn't so bad."
"Narcissa is a bitch. I wouldn't shed a single tear if you or anyone in your family dropped dead."
"Ouch." Athene said, rolling her eyes. She walked into the living area, where Molly Weasley was reading the daily prophet. The old woman looked up at her and smiled. "How are you dear," she said politely. Athene stuttered something about being okay, she would never get used to the woman's kindness. She muttered under her breath and Sense and Sensibility flew into her hands.
"Do you mind if I stay in here?" She stuttered. Truthfully, her small, dark room was getting a little cramped. Every time she was in there all she could do was dwell on her brother's fate.
"Of course not, dear."
Athene nodded and opened her book. She wanted to thank Lupin for the recommendation, it truly was a brilliant book, but of course he didn't deserve the satisfaction. Molly was watching her and when Athene looked up, the two locked eyes.
"Your mother loved that book." Molly whispered.
Athene was stunned. Her mother? Molly Weasley was talking about her mother? Clearly the woman recognised her confusion because she smiled to herself, "yes, Narcissa was always reading that."
Athene blinked. "Lupin recommended it."
"Yes, I daresay that's why."
What the fuck? Now Lupin knows what books her mother read? Merlin she hated that man.
"You and my mother..."
"We were friends, yes. I was a few years ahead at Hogwarts, of course, but Narcissa and I grew quite close before the war."
"But-"
"No-one knew, of course. Narcissa was wealthy and Slytherin. My family was poor and Gryffindoor, it would be like you and one of my boys being best friends," she said with a chuckle. Athene's mind skipped to Fred. Merlin, her father would murder her, she wondered if her grandparents would have been the same.
"What-" She paused. "What was she like?"
"She was an incredible witch, I daresay she still is. Lucius used to worship the ground she walked on, everyone did really. Incredibly intelligent, and incredibly kind. Not that she'd let anyone see it."
"Aloofness, that's what us Black/ Malfoy women are taught," Athene said with a small smile.
Molly nodded at her, her eyes were glistening as she remembered her old friend. "She was beautiful too, looked just like you." Athene swelled with pride. "She was a good person, genuinely one of the best I have ever known. She would have done anything for the people she loved, anything at all."
"She would do anything for me or Draco," Athene said softly. "She would take curses from father all the time to protect us."
Molly sighed and closed her paper. "I knew that her life would be ruined with Lucius, the poor woman. He's an awful man. He did used to love her, I think, but as he grew in pride she shrunk. She chose money, I chose love."
"I doubt she had much choice, Mrs Weasley."
"Yes, you may be right."
"She's not evil." Athene stated.
"I don't doubt that."
Sirius walked into the room and cleared his throat, Athene got up to leave. She turned to look at Molly, "thank you," she said.
In the days of Remus' absence Athene had trained with Sirius and Molly, the two were no where near as hard working as Lupin, and had left her off after only an hour or two. She spent a lot of time in her room, rereading Sense and Sensibility.
"Athene," came the voice of Tonks.
"Yes, Nymphadora?" Athene said with a smirk. Her cousin was, for some reason, terrified of her, and would never correct the woman on her name, despite the fact that she would to anyone else.
"It's Arthur..."
"Ok?"
"He's been injured."
"Was it..."
"You-Know-Who? Yes."
Athene sighed.
"It was in the ministry, the order thinks it's to do with-"
"The prophecy." Athene cut her off.
"Yes." Tonks sighed. "Harry and the Weasleys will be here soon, do you want to come down?" she asked timidly. Athene shrugged and walked to the door.
"H-How are you?" Her cousin asked.
"Fucking shattered, Lupin wouldn't leave me alone when I asked him to help me train."
Tonk's cheeks turned pink. "Oh- well- that's good of him, isn't it?"
"Jealous, Nymphadora?"
"I-I don't know what you mean."
"Merlin, cousin, we're on the brink of a war."
"What do you mean?" The pink haired witch asked.
"Perspective."
Downstairs, Sirius wore a serious expression and had his hand on a sobbing Molly's shoulder. Athene felt uncomfortable, she didn't know whether to speak. Tonks stood next to her, seemingly feeling just as unsure. The two witches glanced at each other and took a seat at the table.
"Mrs Weasley," Athene murmured. The older woman looked up at her, she was clutching Sirius' hand. "I hope you're okay." Molly let go of Sirius' hand to reach across the table and clutch Athene's. Her two cousins stared in shock. Athene squeezed the hand in hers and then stood up and walked to stand by the door, away from the grieving. In Malfoy Manor, any grieving happening would be done behind closed doors. The only time she had ever seen her mother close to tears was when she was receiving her dark mark before she killed Ashley. Perhaps it was then that Narcissa realised that her daughter was destined for the same future that she had lived.
The remaining Weasley's arrived accompanied by Harry Potter and the muggleborn girl, Hermione Granger. Harry walked past her and nodded awkwardly, whilst Hermione looked straight ahead, as if she didn't see her. Ron was with Bill and Charlie, all three of them met the witch's eye but didn't speak. The twins had also arrived, George went to comfort Mrs Weasley, whilst Fred stopped next to where Athene stood.
"Hi, Miss Malfoy," he said, with a small grin.
"Should you really be flirting when your father is in hospital?" She responded curtly.
Fred held up his hands, "I was saying hi!"
"Fine," she said, "Hello Fred." He looked worn out and stressed, probably on account of his father being attacked, she reminded herself. "I hope you are feeling okay, in spite of things." He looked shocked at her words and grinned stupidly.
"Minus the seriously injured dad, I'm fine thanks. How are you?"
"Alright," she said with a smile.
"How's the arm?" He asked. She stared at him confused. "Your left arm, it was bleeding when I last saw you."
"Oh," she said, pulling up her left sleeve, "It's okay." She paused when she saw Fred staring, and realised that the dark mark was sticking out from under her sleeve. "I-"
"It's fine," Fred said. "It doesn't mean anything."
"Thank you."
"Athene Malfoy thanks people?" He said, clutching his heart in mock shock.
"It is something I have found myself doing more often recently." She admitted.
Charlie and Bill approached them. "Athene-" Charlie started.
"Don't start on her, Charlie." Fred said.
"It's okay," Athene replied timidly.
"Sirius told us what happened with Ashley. I- I don't forgive you. It was better knowing it wasn't in cold blood, I guess. There wasn't much you could do. You probably wouldn't be here today if you didn't kill her."
"I'd swap places with her any day."
"Look, you don't have to say that. I heard you helped a lot, with death eater names and that, so"
"Thank you," she said to him, Fred winked at her out of the corner of his eye. There was a short ginger girl standing behind the twins, looking as if she was desperate to know what was happening, Tonks tried to usher her away but the girl stood her ground. Athene stood up and stepped forwards, the twins parted and the blonde witch stuck her hand out to the girl.
"Athene Malfoy."
"Ginny Weasley, I don't like you."
Athene bit her lip to hold back a grin, she couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen, but she liked this girl. She was brave, much like her mother.