Athene sat on her windowsill, drumming her fingers against her knee. She counted the beats in her head, and then she counted the houses on the row opposite 12 Grimmauld Place. Anything to distract her. It was nearly evening, they were to leave at six o'clock, and to return no later than midnight. Tonks and her hadn't spoken all day, they were both terrified. There was a knock at her door, she got up and opened it, Remus stood there looking ill and tired.
"I'm leaving now," he said to her quietly. "It's the full moon tonight, I have to go before it's dark."
She nodded at him, "how are you feeling? You look ill."
He laughed, "I probably feel better than you do."
She nodded and smiled slightly.
"I know you haven't forgiven me but-"
"I do forgive you, I don't want to die angry," she said in all seriousness. Remus sighed, his heart heavy, he took a step towards her and ached to reach for her hand, but he didn't.
"You aren't going to die, Athene," he whispered.
"Yeah? How'd you know?"
He didn't have an answer for that. The room darkened as the sun went behind clouds, there was a blue glow outside, he cursed the moon for making him leave.
"I have to go," he said slowly. She nodded at him and her eyes filled with tears. This time, he did reach out and take her hand. She jolted at the contact but didn't pull away. He squeezed her fingers between his and said, "good luck. I'll see you in the morning."
She pulled away from him. "I hope you're okay tonight. See you in the morning."
He left before he could beg her not to go, he knocked on Tonks' room, she opened the door with her wand and Remus watched as she paced around.
"Oh! Remus," she said with a sigh of relief. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her head in his chest. He put both arms around her waist and hugged her.
"If I die-"
"You aren't going to die."
"No, but if I do, know that I love you."
"Tonks-"
"It's fine, Remus. I just want you to know."
"Good luck tonight," he said as he pulled away from her.
"You too." She smiled back. "I should go and get Athene."
"And I should go."
The two embraced one last time and parted ways. Tonks knocked on her cousins door, when it opened Athene looked visibly stressed. There were bags under her eyes and her hair was greasy, noticeably different to her usual pureblood perfection.
"You ready?" Athene asked.
"As I'll ever be."
"Me too, let's go meet Dobby."
Dumbledore had set up a floo connection for the two witches between 12 Grimmauld Place and his office at Hogwarts. He did not want to risk anyone being able to follow them to the order's headquarters and so was insisting that Dobby took them from Hogwarts.
They stepped into the fireplace and spoke in unison.
"Miss Malfoy!" Came the delighted, high pitched voice of the two foot tall house elf. "How wonderful it is to see you again! And as a friend of Master Dumbledore!"
Athene smiled, momentarily forgetting her situation, and leaned down to embrace the elf. He was, perhaps, the only other living thing that understood the extent of Lucius' cruelty.
"We have both escaped Master Malfoy, Miss Athene!"
"I know Dobby, I'm sorry that you have to take us back into that house."
"Dobby will do anything to help Mr Harry Potter and friends, Miss Malfoy!"
She smiled down at him and looked at Dumbledore and Moody. One was smiling, and one looked unimpressed.
"I'm still extremely unhappy with you going, Nymphadora." The auror spoke.
Tonks' hair turned red, again, and she went to repeat her mantra, "don't call me-"
"Nymphadora- yes yes, I know."
"I'll be fine Alastor. After all, this is what you trained me for."
He huffed in agreement.
"What's the plan, Miss Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked her politely.
"Excuse me?"
"You know your home best,"
"It's not my home."She cut in.
"I apologise, you know Malfoy Manor best, where would you recommend Dobby taking you? Your room, perhaps?"
"No, that's too central, we'll be seen immediately." She hummed and thought for a second, trying to memorize all of the hallways and rooms and where they each led to. "The back library Dobby, the one that only Draco used to go in, do you remember?"
Dobby nodded eagerly, "Yes, Miss Athene, I can take you there."
"Very well, Miss Malfoy, the two of you will meet Dobby back there every hour to leave, or ask him to return an hour later. It is imperative that you get back to him, if you are over five minutes late, we will assume that you have been found."
The two witches nodded.
"Under no circumstances should you split up," he continued, "Miss Tonks here does not know her way around the manor and, due to her relation to the Malfoy's, she would likely be an enjoyable target for her mother's sister, Bellatrix Lestrange, who had recently escaped from Azkaban."
"Fucking psycho, she is." Athene breathed to Tonks who muttered back, "great."
"Remember, the Dark Lord himself could be there, if he is, then you go to the library, and you hide. You have a good chance against any death eater, but if you believe him to be there, or if you hear that he will arrive, then you get out immediately."
"I'll know, professor," Athene said, "if he's close I mean." She rolled up her sleeve and gestured to her scarred dark mark, "this will tell me."
"Well at least it's good for bloody something." Mad-Eye grunted.
Dumbledore ignored him and continued barking his instructions. "Remember, you are looking for any piece of information regarding the Dark Lord's plans for Harry Potter, or anything regarding the prophecy. The smallest bit of knowledge may save a life, so please, both of you, stay alert. And, Miss Malfoy, do not get dragged back in by nostalgia."
"Nostalgia of Lucius trying to kill me, professor?" She said with a twisted grin. "There's not much chance of that happening."
"Very well," the man said. "Good luck to you both."
He stared at Moody and nudged him, "Alastor."
"Right. Good luck. Don't mess up."
The two witches looked at each other, their eyes full of apprehension, they embraced quickly, both squeezing each other to reassure the other that it would be okay.
"Now or never," Tonks murmured.
"Ready, Dobby?"
"Ready, take my hands please, Miss Malfoy, Miss Tonks."
The two witches took hold of Dobby's small hands and he looked at the two and nodded, the familiar, rushing feeling of apparating took over Athene's body and she felt herself being sick as dark shadows took shape around her. Tonks pulled her up and the two women looked around. The library stood just as she remembered it, Narcissa had named it Draco's Library, as he was the only one that had ever truly used it. It was less claustrophobic than she remembered, perhaps her head was clearer now.
The bookshelves reached up to the ceiling, which was bewitched to have stars like the one at Hogwarts. It was vast and held a huge, crystal chandelier. The floors and walls were black, and there were green chaise lounges dotted around the room. Athene stared, emotionlessly, whilst Dobby shuddered at the sight.
"Merlin," Tonks whispered, "is this what I could have got if darling mother had decided to stay in the family?"
"This and a cruciatus curse every other day," Athene whispered back.
"It's all very... Slytherin."
"Well, Nymphadora, we're all very Slytherin."
"Stay safe, friends!" Dobby squeaked, before vanishing.
"Where to?" Tonks murmured, snapping out of her trance. Athene opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, the witches heads had both flicked in the direction of the door.
Athene grabbed her cousin's hand and gestured to be quiet with a finger over her lip, the two witches exited the room, Athene taking the lead as she led the woman to the parlor, where raised voices could be heard.
A/N Lockdown is making me write so much lol