dursley [h. g.]

••dursley•• || it begins

Kendra's gut feeling had been right, as per usual.

Hermione was gone that morning, just as she had suspected. Bill had managed to get Harry to tell him where he was going and made sure that Kendra knew. Shell Cottage suddenly felt much emptier with just Bill, Fleur, Draco, and Kendra--Ollivander had gone to Muriel's house so Mrs. Weasley could take care of him and Luna had gone back to her father's house (or what was left of it after Hermione blew it up).

Kendra felt the best she had in months. She had no idea what Fleur had done (or perhaps it was just the result of a few good nights of sleep and good food), but the relief was so sweet she wanted to lay down on the floor and cry from happiness.

Of course, Kendra thought she was going to have a heart attack (again) when Bill brought a copy of the Daily Prophet back, the front page proudly displaying that Harry Potter had broken into Gringotts and escaped on a dragon.

She was going to kill him. Someone else could be the Chosen One.

But it was only later that evening, the sun having already slunk beneath the horizon, not wanting to be privy to the events it seemed to know were about to occur, when Bill received word from the Order that Hogwarts was fighting back.

"Harry's at Hogwarts," Bill said, stepping into the living room, where Kendra and Draco had been playing an intense game of exploding snap. Kendra looked away from the game, no longer caring that Draco was winning. "They're going to fight, the Order is asking for as many people to help as they can."

Draco shot up like he had been electrocuted. His face was stonily set in determination. "I'll fight," he said, daring Bill to question him. "I'll do whatever the Order needs me to do. Even if I have to fight against my family. I don't want to hide anymore, I want to do what's right."

Bill smiled and clapped him on the back supportively. Kendra took his hand from her place on the couch next to him. "I'm proud of you, Draco," Kendra said, offering him a smile.

Bill turned his gaze to Kendra. "You're welcome to stay here if you don't want to fight," he offered.

Kendra stood, pulling on Draco's hand to propel herself upwards. She ignored the way her legs trembled slightly under her as she put her weight on them, the tender ache in her wrist, the weight in her bones that made them feel like lead. "I want to fight," she said, offering a bitter smile to the eldest Weasley child. "I have business with Bellatrix."

It was stupid. Hermione would probably be incredibly upset with her when she found out. There was no way she wasn't going to get hurt. It would take a miracle for her to come out unscathed, whether by someone else or her own carelessness. But Kendra couldn't sit back and wait for Hermione to come back to her, having done nothing. She couldn't relax in safety while her cousin and best friend risked his life to save the wizarding world. She had to fight, for them if not for herself.

Draco glanced at her. "You sure?" he asked.

Kendra nodded, her mind made up. The prospect of not only making sure her friends and family were safe but giving every single Death Eater who had ever tormented her a taste of their own medicine. Vengeance was powerful, even if it was dangerous. And Kendra intended to be powerful.

"I have been waiting my whole life for this day," Morgana's voice cut through Kendra's thoughts, her tone dripping with twisted eagerness. "We're going to make them pay, darling. For every. Last. Thing."

Kendra couldn't disagree with her.

"We're apparating," Bill said. "Get what you need at meet me outside in five minutes. I'll side-along you."