Managing The Mischief ~ Sequel to A Master of Mischief

~ Chapter 11

**Maddie’s POV**

I feel completely numb. Alithea has been missing for two days and three nights. I can’t get the image of her lying white and still, hidden by grass, unable to hear or answer our cries. Somehow I keep moving. I keep looking. I can’t call to her anymore, I can’t run. I’m too tired. I just stumble along, looking everywhere I can think of. The Ministry is looking. All of the Weasleys are looking. Dad is looking. The Hogwarts staff are looking. I’m looking.

But what for? Are we looking for our daughter or a corpse that looks like her? Will we be able to find her or has someone taken her?

A silver coyote comes running up beside me. I stop, recognising George’s patronus, and hope fills my heart.

“Maddie, kids need you now.”

I disapparate home.

“Mummy! What’s going on?”

All the kids are there, looking upset.

“Shh, it’s okay,” I comfort them, “Alithea just got lost on a walk and we’re trying to find her, it’s fine.”

They all crowd around me, everyone trying to get in on the hug.

“Can you stay with us?” Fiona asks, “just until we’re asleep?”

I want to say no, but looking at them all I can’t.

“Alright, come on,” I tell them, “you can all sleep in Mum and Dad’s room. George, can you help me squish some more beds in there?”

“I’m on it.”

We manage to fit another two single beds in the room with the queen bed. I put Fred and Teddy in one single bed and Carmen and Olivia in the other. Laurence, Simon, Paul and William lie up one end of the double bed, head to toe with Fiona, Jessica and Lucy.

“Mum, stay,” Lucy whispers as she falls asleep. The second they’re all asleep I sneak out and downstairs.

“Right, where are we looking tonight?” I ask, pulling on a coat.

“Maddie, you need to get some sleep,” George says. I shake my head.

“Not until she’s home,” I tell him. He exchanges a glance with Dad and sighs.

“I’m really sorry about this,” he says, raising his wand to point it at me.

**Sirius’ POV**

George and I tuck Maddie into Carmen’s bed.

“Right, we’ll keep looking,” I say, “you get some sleep.”

“I’m coming with you,” he protests. I roll my eyes and charm him. No point in arguing since it’d probably come down to this anyway. Once he’s in Fred’s bed, I think, I head back downstairs.

“The parents are asleep,” I announce, “any news?”

Molly shakes her head, looking tearful.

“Oh, Sirius, what if we can’t find her?” she cries.

“We will,” I assure her, “I know that Maddie will never stop looking until she does, neither will George and neither will I.”

“Here, here,” Fred agrees, “now, where haven’t we looked?”

**Maddie’s POV**

I wake in a panic. I have no idea how long I’ve slept. I run downstairs to the kitchen. Molly is making breakfast there.

“How long did I sleep?” I ask her, quickly grabbing a couple of apples and stuffing them in my coat pockets.

“About eight hours,” Molly replies. I groan. Eight whole hours! I sprint out the door and collide with Dad and Kingsley.

“Ouch, sorry!” I grimace, “any news?”

“Nothing,” Dad says, “it’s like she just disappeared.”

“The ministry is sending out more people to search,” Kingsley says soothingly, “we will find her.”

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Sorry about the chapter going funny, I hope it's working now!!

So, I'm doing a cover competition! For all you creative people, I have two stories that I'm working on called Australian Princess (Fred Weasley love story) and Sisters of The Soil (George love story) and I want you guys to make the cover!! So, send me in covers and once I've got a few I'll show them all to you and you can vote then I'll choose the best!