Make Me Fall

41. Divided Alliances

We sit in silence on the train. Draco has been practicing using his mothers wand. It works well enough, but I can tell he doesn't like the feel of it. I can also tell he's not in a talking mood, so I've stayed silent, burying my nose in a book I've already read twice. There's a knock on the door and Seamus, the replacement prefect for Gryffindor steps in.

"Can I talk to you?" he asks me. I glance at Draco, but he's staring moodily out the window, so I follow Seamus into the corridor.

"What's up?" I ask.

"We've been hearing some rumours," he says, "that Harry's been... Captured."

"Believe me, if the Dark Lord had Harry, he'd want everyone to know," I say, "I'm sure Harry's still out there."

Seamus nods, but he's still frowning slightly.

"Is there something else?" I ask, lowering my voice. Seamus moves down the corridor a bit, away from Draco.

"Now that we've broken through to the pub," he says in a low voice, "some of us are going to move into the Room permanently. The Order's heard rumours that anyone causing trouble or anyone with relatives causing trouble is going to be... Well..."

"Taken care of," I finish with a frown, "I haven't heard anything about that."

Seamus shrugs.

"Better safe than sorry."

I nod in agreement, still frowning. Seamus glances down the corridor.

"Look, I've got to go," he says, "we're trying to find the high risk students, let them know they can move to the Room. We'll have a meeting soon."

"Okay, thanks Seamus."

I walk back into the compartment and sit down.

"What did he want?" Draco asks, sounding bored.

"Wanted to know the new Gryffindor password," I lie, "Draco, have there been any meetings recently?"

I see a flash of guilt cross his face and know immediately.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demand. Draco sighs, running his fingers through his hair.

"Because you'd only get upset," he says, "there's nothing you can do."

I grind my teeth together, thinking of Fred and George. If anything happens to them...

"You should have told me," I snap. Draco glares at me.

"Why? So you could've gone after the Weasleys? Warned them that they were in danger?" he yells, "they already know! Everyone knows! It's a wonder their daughter hasn't been killed! The Carrows are probably waiting at the station for her. Good riddan-"

The noise my hand makes hitting Draco's face is louder than I expected. His cheek blooms with a red hand print and he stares at me in shock. I don't know what to do, so I walk out. I walk down the train until I find Neville, Ginny, Seamus and a couple of girls from Ginny's year.

"Ginny, when the train stops at Hogsmeade, get off right at the end of the train and go straight to the Hogshead," I tell her, "go up to the castle that way, okay?"

"Okay," she nods. I turn to go.

"Autumn?"

I turn back to her.

"Fred and George told me to let you know they've still got your back," she says, "and that they want you to save them some of you..." she frowns, "pink Easter Egg?"

I stare at her in shock. I thought Fred and George had stopped following me, but how could they know about the pink Easter Egg? Draco's parents don't give each other easter eggs, so I went a bought a huge one for Draco and I to share. It's wrapped in bright pink foil with a white bow. The day I bought it, Draco's parents had a big fight and I'd forgotten about it completely, but the twins must have seen me buy it, and maybe they knew I never opened it.

Ginny is watching me to see if the message makes any sense to me. I pull myself back together and nod.

"Thanks," I tell her.

I walk down the corridor, feeling like I'm dreaming. What could be so important that the twins would risk their lives, their families lives, to watch over me? What difference could I possibly make?

I open the door to the compartment and see the red hand print on Draco's face. He's facing the window, obviously ignoring me. I sit down behind him and wrap my arms around his middle, laying my cheek on his back.

"I'm sorry," I tell him quietly. He doesn't answer, but I feel some of the tension leave his back as he relaxes. Maybe he was expecting me to yell at him like I used to. I'm not entirely sure hitting him is a better way of dealing with it.

As we pull into the station I see the Carrows and a couple of other Death Eaters spread down the station. As soon as we step off, Amycus, who is closest to us, beckons us over, not taking his eyes off the door closest to him.

"Find the Weasley girl," he growls.

We move down the platform as the students flood off, moving towards the carriages. I know we won't find Ginny. Well, I hope we won't.

Finally the platform empties. We group up with the other Death Eaters. Amycus and Alecto look furious.

"Send out a warrant," Amycus barks at Narrow, "find her!"

As soon as curfew hits I'm off to the Room. There's a small group in there, I recognise most of them. Sitting up the front with Neville and Seamus is Ginny. They're gathered around something. I hurry up to them. Ginny looks around at my approach and smiles.

"Thanks for the warning," she says, "look who's found his way back."

She steps back and I see Dean Thomas sitting there. He gives me a half smile. He's wrapped in a blanket and is clutching a cup of tea.

"You look awful," I blurt out. He laughs.

"Thanks," he says, "yeah, being on the run from you lot hasn't been easy."

"Just trying to keep you on your toes," I joke.

"Did you see Luna at the Manor?" Neville asks.

"Yeah, she's with Harry, Ron and Hermione," I tell him, "I don't know where they are..."

"She'll be fine with them," Ginny says, "so you saw them, then? Are they alright?"

"They're fine," I nod, "Bellatrix... Tortured Hermione. But I think she'll be fine."

Neville is grinding his teeth. Dean, Ginny and Seamus all look pale. Dean stares down into his tea.

"At least we know they're alive and fighting," I say gently, "and Hermione is in good hands. Anyway, we can't help her from here. We have to protect the students here. We have contact to the Order through Aberforth, they can tell us which students are in danger and we can bring them here."

"What about the Slytherins?" Seamus asks, "what if one of them is in danger?"

"We bring them here," I say firmly, "if a Slytherin is in danger from the Death Eaters, it's because they or their parents are standing up against the Dark Lord. We protect them."

"So, what's he up to?" Dean asks, "You-Know-Who?"

They all look at me. I shake my head slightly.

"Gone mad, so far as I can tell," I say, "he's off searching for something. He's been gone weeks, months even. Won't tell anyone what he's looking for or where he's going. We're all sort of pretending we know what's going on, but really, the Order's probably got a better idea."

I see a smirk cross Seamus and Neville's faces. Clearly the idea that the Order is better organised than us is something they like. Right now neither sides successes or failures bring forward any kind of emotion in me. I suppose it's because my alliance is still divided.