Black and White

24

"I know how you feel, Harry, Lucida," Dumbledore tells us in his office.

"No, you don't," Harry answers quietly.

"It's all my fault," I sob into my hands. "My dad is... gone."

"No, the fault is mine," Dumbledore corrects, but I don't believe him. "I knew it was only a matter of time before Voldemort made the connection to you, Harry. I thought by distancing myself from you, as I have done all year, he'd be less tempted, and therefore you might be more protected. I thought the same with you, Lucida, that he could not pull from you information you did not have. Truly, I should have found a way to take you from Bellatrix the moment I heard she had taken you as a baby."

"The prophecy said: Neither one can live while the other one survives," Harry tells us. "It means, one of us is gonna have to kill the other, in the end."

"Yes," Dumbledore confirms.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asks.

"For the same reason you tried to save Sirius," Dumbledore answers. "The same reason your friends saved you. After all these years, after all you've suffered, I didn't want to cause you any more pain. I cared too much about you."

As soon as we can, Harry and I leave Dumbledore's office. Soon, we find Luna.

"How come you're not at the feast?" Harry asks her.

"I've lost all my possessions," Luna answers, pointing to the flyer she had just hung up. "Apparently people have been hiding them."

"That's awful," Harry says as I wipe away the last of my tears.

"Oh, it's all good fun," Luna assures. "But as it's the last night, I really do need them back."

"Do you want any help finding them?" Harry offers.

Luna shakes her head. "I'm sorry about your godfather, Harry," she says, taking our hands for a moment. "And your father, Lucy."

"A-are you sure you don't want any help?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

"That's all right," Luna smiles. "Anyway, my mum always said the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expected."

We look up and notice Luna's shoes hanging high in the archway above us.

"Think I'll just go have some pudding," Luna states, skipping away. I'm not hungry, but I follow her. I need the company, and she's the only one I think I can stand being around right now.

The next morning, I walk with my friends to the Hogwarts Express. Ron has a black eye, Luna a busted lip, and Harry and I some small cuts, but that's really the only physical damage.

"I've been thinking about something Dumbledore said to me," Harry tells us.

"What's that?" Hermione questions.

"That even though we've got a fight ahead of us, we've got one thing that Voldemort doesn't have," Harry explains. "Something worth fighting for."

We board the train and sit down together, along with Fred and George, before Hermione seems to realize something.

"Lucy, you didn't fight with the Death Eaters," she says. "I mean, we didn't expect you to, but... what will happen to you now?"

I bite my lip. I had been thinking about that, too.

"Well, I go back to Malfoy Manor," I say. "Hope they don't kill me. Dumbledore says Snape will try to get them to give me a second chance, and get me out as soon as possible. But... I just don't think it will work. I tried to attack Bellatrix, and didn't make any sort of move against Harry or Dumbledore when Voldemort himself was there. Honestly, they will probably kill me."

Harry takes my hand, but before he can speak, Fred does.

"Maybe we could sneak you to the Burrow," he suggests. "I know Mum wouldn't mind, and Dad probably wouldn't notice for at least a week, until he realizes you don't have red hair."

I give a weak smile. "I'd love to," I answer. "But I can't. They would find me. Besides, I can't leave Draco by himself with them. I know he's a git to all of you, but you don't know him like I do."

When we get off the train, after Hermione and the Weasleys bid me goodbye, I stare at the Hogwarts Express for a moment. This might be the last time I ever see it. Finally, sighing, I turn to Harry, who has been watching me patiently. He pulls me into a hug.

"Do whatever you have to do to survive, Luce," he whispers in my ear. "I don't care what it is, just try to survive. You're all the family I have left."

I pull away, looking into his watery green eyes. "Stay safe, Harry."

I force myself to turn away, and see Draco has been watching us. I walk to him, and he gives me a wary look. He starts to lead me to Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius, but I freeze for a moment at the cold look in Uncle Lucius' eyes. Hatred like I've only seen in him once before in my life.

"That's the way he looked at Rodolphus," I say softly to Draco. "Right before he killed him."

Draco says nothing, but I see how he clenches his fists, to hide the way his hands shake.

When we reach the couple, Aunt Narcissa wraps an arm around her son. In contrast, Uncle Lucius grabs the collar of my shirt, before we all apparate to the Manor.

"To your room," Uncle Lucius orders. "We'll call on you when it's time."

I don't have to ask what he means, as Draco is lead towards the meeting room.

I climb the stairs to my room, set down my trunk, and sit on the bed. As Merlin leans against my side, I pull my knees to my chest...

...and wait for death.