a n c h o r

t e n

The cellar was quiet for days other than the occasional sound of Alexandra's cries echoing off of the walls. It's been months, and nothing has happened that gave her the slightest bit of hope that she would survive. Voldemort was becoming more and more relentless, waiting for the moment the girl begged for death. If it wasn't for Luna and Ollivander's constant reassurance, she would have begged for death one thousand times by now.

It wasn't necessarily ideal to spend Valentine's Day without the one you love, or spend your eighteenth birthday without your family and best friends, but it's something Alexandra had to deal with. She didn't even know it was her birthday until Luna pointed it out. She had lost track of time due to how often she was unconscious or very close to it.

By now, the dress Alexandra was wearing had become increasingly large as she lost a significant amount of weight from both refusing to eat and the physical strain she's been enduring. The blanket no longer kept her warm, and her aching body struggled to move. She was barely alive, and Luna and Ollivander were doing everything they could to keep her from giving up. Time was running out, and they hoped Harry would show up soon.

Snape arrived at the Manor while Narcissa was there alone, checking in on the girl. Not only did he swear to protect Draco, but he swore to protect Alexandra as well. When the Death Eaters became aware of Voldemort's interest in the girl, Narcissa needed to know she would remain safe. Alexandra was always a daughter to her, and her husband's opinion never changed her own.

Snape did everything he could to mend the girl, closing any wounds not caused by dark magic and providing her with the water intake she lacked all without drastically improving her appearance.

He was gone as quick as he arrived, erasing Luna and Ollivander's memories of his appearance before retreating back to Hogwarts.

"Harry's still in the forest," Neville told Ginny, having been told the information by Aberforth Dumbledore. Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother, had been helping Dumbledore's Army throughout the school year as they prepared for the battles ahead. Having been able to see Harry through a broken piece of a two-way mirror, and knowing the Army's concern for their members and the students' concern for their classmates, he had been giving constant updates as to whether Harry and his friends had found Alexandra and Luna. Unfortunately, they were all negative. For months, there has been no progress. Through Aberforth's eyes, Harry and his friends haven't left the forest since destroying the locket around Christmas. This made Ginny angry.

Ginny knew Harry's task was important, but she also wanted her friends returned quickly and safely. It's already been a number of months, and the days haven't gotten easier. Both herself and Draco were becoming increasingly impatient, and Ginny was sure Draco would throw a fit if he found out Harry was spending his free time camping in the forest and skipping rocks with his friends.

That wasn't the case, though. Harry spent every free moment he had coming up with the most efficient plan possible to save Alex and Luna. His plan was coming together, but there was a lot of hoping, and Ron was right when he said now isn't the time to rely on hope. Hope, however, was all they had.

The three friends sat in silence, knowing they had to move quickly. Harry hasn't been getting any visions recently, which he saw as both good and bad. Harry thought Voldemort would surely show him if he killed Alexandra, but he could never be too optimistic.

"Students should be returning home for Easter holidays, yeah?" Harry asked, knowing he had better chances of saving his friends with Draco on his side. Draco wasn't necessarily dependable, but Harry was becoming desperate. He needed to find them, and he needed to find them quickly. It's been eight months now since Alexandra's been taken, four for Luna, and he didn't know how much longer they would last.

"Yeah, why?" Ron asked, shuffling in his seat. He knew Harry well enough to know he wouldn't ask the question if it wasn't important, but he couldn't figure out what the holiday had to do with anything.

"If Alexandra is in the Manor, Malfoy may be able to help her," Hermione pointed out. "It'll give us more time to think of a new plan."

"Didn't you say you saw him torture her? Right before he tortured Rowle and Dolohov?"

"Yes, but I don't think it was willingly," Harry told Ron. "After what he did the night Dumbledore died, and how he tried to warn us about the attack during the wedding..."

"Are you saying you trust him?" Ron asked, wanting to hear the words come out of Harry's mouth. Harry sighed.

"I don't think he would willingly harm her, that's all," he excused.

"I hope Alexandra is right," Hermione sighed. "That he'll end up on the right side of things."

"Why don't we give him a chance then? To prove once and for all if we can trust him," Harry suggested, becoming increasingly nervous about the decision he's about to make.

"How would we do that?" Ron asked. Harry stood up, holding Alexandra's wand tightly in his hand.

"It's simple, really. All he has to do is help us save Alexandra," Harry explained, taking a deep breath before continuing. "From Voldemort."