=== June 22 1995 ===
Early in the morning Harry comes out to make breakfast when Hedwig drops a copy of The Daily Prophet on the table before going to her perch. "Hey girl," Harry says as he gets her a treat. "You doing okay?" Hedwig stands there and let's Harry run his fingers through her feathers and gives her the treat.
Once done with Hedwig, Harry goes over to the table and opens the paper. He stops breathing for a moment as he reads the headline.
Hermione bursts into the kitchen wand in hand and scans the room. "What's wrong?" Harry looks up at her, his face pale. "Harry?" She asks worriedly.
Harry hands her the paper with shaking hands. Hermione takes the paper from him and gasps as she reads it:
Special report!
We have confirmed reports of the sudden deaths of several individuals, all of whom had been confirmed to have the Dark Mark. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased individuals.
"No," Hermione whispers. "This can't be real!"
"I'm afraid it is." Draco says. They both turn to see him standing there holding a letter. "It appears I'm the new Lord Malfoy."
"Draco, I'm so sorry to hear that." Hermione says as she hugs him.
"Thank you," Draco says. "Amanda and I need to go to Gringotts and then to Malfoy Manor. We might be gone for a few days."
"Take care of yourselves." Harry says,
"We will," Draco says as he heads to his room.
"We should write to everyone and make sure they're okay." Hermione says.
"Good idea." Harry says.
#####
"Are you sure about this?" Amanda asks.
Draco nods. "This works in our favor. The Dark Lord will be looking for new members. He must know our parents raised us to follow him, he'll expect us to come to kneel at his feet. This is my opportunity to join his forces and become a spy."
"What about me?" Amanda asks.
"I don't know, honestly." Draco says. "If you don't want to meet him you don't have to."
#####
The newly minted Lord and Lady Malfoy appear in front of Malfoy Manor. "So this is home?" Amanda asks.
Draco nods. "We don't have to live here if you don't want to."
"No, it's fine." Amanda says. "At least for the time being."
"Okay," Draco says as they step into the Manor. The moment he does he feels the wards attach to him. "We have guests."
"Who?" Amanda asks.
"I think it's him, at a few death eaters." Draco answers.
"Why aren't we turning them in?" Amanda asks.
"He can't be killed as long as the horcruxes are out there." Draco says. "Maybe he'll slip up if he trusts us."
Amanda nods."Very well. Let's go greet them." Amanda says.
Draco looks at them both. "We should look the part first."
Amanda nods. "Good thing we can use magic."
A short time later, Draco, now dressed in a nice suit and Amanda in a beautiful black dress go to one of the occupied rooms and knock. Voldemort opens the door. Draco immediately kneels at his feet. "My apologies my lord, I had no idea it was you here."
Voldemort looks up and sees Amanda looking to the ground. "You!"
"My...my lord?" Amanda stutters as she curtsies. "I apologize, I'm not sure what to do here."
"My apologies for my wife." Draco says. "I've been working on educating her."
Voldemort moves past Draco and touches Amanda's cheek. "Muggleborn, correct?"
"Yes, my lord." Amanda says.
"Kneel!" Voldemort commands and Amanda does so carefully avoiding messing up her dress. "Strip!" He commands, and Amanda undoes her dress then pulls it off leaving her in her underwear. She starts to undo her bra. "Enough." She stops, her bra falls to the ground. "Will you follow any command I give?"
"Any that doesn't go against my and Draco's bond, my lord." Amanda says.
"Wormtail!" Voldemort shouts.
A fumbling is heard in the next room, and Peter comes out a robe barely covering him. "How may I serve you my lord?"
"Take Missus Malfoy to meet your toy." Voldemort instructs. "Meanwhile I have business with Mister Malfoy."
"Come now." Peter says.
Amanda gets up and follows Peter, leaving her clothes on the ground. Inside the bedroom she's shocked to find the young blonde girl, naked, tied spread eagle to the bed.
"Can you make her look like Ginerva Weasley?" Peter asks.
Amanda feels bile rise in the back of her throat from the thought of what he was already doing to the girl. She manages to swallow it and pull her wand from a thigh holster. "I'll try."
#####
Draco, still kneeling, speaks. "How may I serve you my lord?"
"Tell me about Potter."
"Which one?" Draco asks.
"Harry Potter!" Voldemort yells. "What other Potter could I possibly be talking about?"
"His sister?" Draco replies.
"Tell me everything."
=== Meanwhile ===
"Harry!" Hermione yells. "We need to go see Neville!"
"What's the matter?" Harry asks.
"Hannah's father is gone." Hermione answers.
"Dobby!" Harry yells.
"Is something wrong?" Dobby asks as he appears.
"You and Winky take care of the twins, our friend is in trouble." Harry instructs.
Dobby nods. "Of course."
Harry and Hermione grab their robes and run to the fireplace. Moments later they are inside Longbottom Manor where Neville greets them. "Oh thank goodness, she's this way."
They follow him and find Hannah a complete mess crying on the floor. Hermione gets down on the floor and hugs her. "Hannah, I'm so sorry."
"You can't understand," Hannah cries. "You didn't kill your mother, then find your father as a pile of ash. You have your parents."
"I understand." Harry says. "My parents died because of me. I don't even actually remember them."
Hannah looks up at Harry. "I'm sorry, I just feel so lost."
"I can only imagine." Harry says as he puts his hand on Hannah's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss."
Hannah sniffles, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Harry says
"Hannah," Hermione says softly. "Did you know your father was a Death Eater?"
Hannah nods. "He told me shortly after Neville and I signed our betrothal agreement. My mom, she died bringing me into this world. My dad was lost without her, so when he heard the rumors that You-know-who knew the secret to bring back the dead."
Everyone nods in understanding. They all stay in that awkward silence until Harry speaks. "So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Hannah answers. "I don't have anywhere to live."
"You can stay here." Augusta says. "Neville, clean out a room for her in the west wing."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Neville says.
"We'll help." Hermione says.
It takes no time at all to prepare a room thanks to Harry and Hermione being able to use magic. Hannah looks around the room. "Thank you all for this."
"You're our friend, it's the least we could do." Harry says.
"Now, you'll have to forgive us but we really should head home and check on the twins." Hermione says.
"Of course, take care." Hannah says.
=== June 24 1995 ===
Harry steps into the kitchen only to find Sirius and Remus there. "Morning you two."
"Morning Harry." They both say.
"What brings you here so early?" Harry asks as he starts preparing to make breakfast.
"We were hoping to talk to you." Remus answers.
"I'm listening." Harry says.
"In the early days of the previous war Dumbledore got a group of us together to try and hamper You-know-who's efforts." Sirius says. "We were thinking about restarting it."
"Unless you're asking us to run it. I fail to see why you wanted to talk to me." Harry says.
"We want you and Hermione to join it." Remus says.
"What exactly does joining this clandestine organization entail?" Harry asks.
"I see Hermione's listening in." Remus says.
"The decision involves her, you don't think for a second I'd make a decision involving her without her feedback do you?"
"Of course not." Remus says. "Now, to answer your original question. Our group is called The Order of the Phoenix. We'd want you two to be our eyes and ears inside Hogwarts."
"We can do that." Harry says.
"We'll work on getting the old members together, will you ask Malachi to join us?" Sirius asks.
"Of course." Harry says.
A soft chime is heard. "Expecting more visitors?" Remus asks.
"I wasn't expecting you two." Harry replies as he heads to the living room where the fireplace sits. Sirius and Remus follow him, the three of them ready their wands.
Dumbledore comes out of the fireplace facing the wands. "I suppose I should have announced myself."
"Sorry, Headmaster." Harry says. "I guess we're all a little jumpy still after the paper."
"Understandable." Dumbledore says. "I've come to ask you a favor."
"We're listening." Harry says.
"With Voldemort's return the Ministry is on Hogwarts to hire a qualified defense teacher." Dumbledore says. "If I don't have one signed by the end of this month they are going to appoint one."
"What can we do?" Harry asks.
"You're friends with a qualified defense teacher." Dumbledore says.
"Remus had to resign." Harry says. "The ministry would never let him teach again."
"No, I'm referring to Malachi Meris." Dumbledore says.
"Malachi?" Harry asks dumbfounded.
"Yes, before he could substitute for Ancient Runes he showed me his mastery." Dumbledore says. "When I went to verify it I stumbled upon the fact he also has a defense mastery."
"Of course he does." Harry chuckles. "Why don't you go ask him?"
"I thought that since you were friends with him it would be better if you approached him." Dumbledore says.
Harry sighs. "I assume you have a contract you want him to sign?"
"Do you honestly think Malachi would sign anything that I pre-wrote?" Dumbledore asks.
Harry shakes his head. "I doubt he'll sign anything he doesn't write himself."
"Hopefully he'll provide you with something for me to sign." Dumbledore says.
=== June 25 1995===
Richard pulls the car up to Malachi's house. "Thanks for the lift." Harry says.
"Need me to wait?" Richard asks.
"No, I have a portkey I can use if Malachi won't apparate me." Harry answers.
"Okay, good luck." Richard says before putting the car in gear and heading off.
Harry walks up and knocks on the door. "Harry, what are you doing here?" Malachi asks as he opens the door.
"Dumbledore's dirty work." Harry answers.
"What's the old man want?" Malachi asks.
"He needs a qualified defense teacher in a hurry." Harry answers. "Or the Ministry is going to appoint some nitwit."
Malachi groans. "You can't be serious."
"I'm afraid so." Harry says.
"Come on in so I can talk this over with Cheshire." Malachi says.
Harry enters the main house and sees Cheshire playing with Magnus. "Hey Cheshire."
'Hi Harry, how's Hermione and the twins?" Cheshire asks.
"Hermoine is great. The twins are driving us nuts." Harry replies.
"I can only imagine." Cheshire says. "So what brings you here?"
"I came to ask Malachi to be the defense teacher for the coming year." Harry admits.
"Only if there is some sort of daycare." Cheshire says.
"If he can arrange something you'd be willing to teach?" Harry asks.
"I'd also like it if he could arrange for me to teach a class about practical applications of Runes. Miss Patil seemed eager to learn last year, but never found the time." Malachi says. "But that's not a deal breaker."
"Write it up and I'll present it to Dumbledore." Harry says.
"Didn't you say the old man was in a hurry?"
"Yeah, he did." Harry says. "Yet he insisted that I come talk to you. I still don't understand why he didn't just come here himself."
"Because he can't find this place unless someone who knows shows him where it is." Malachi says.
"How did you manage that?" Harry asks.
"The first thing I did when I started living here again is inscribe a rune chain into the foundation." Malachi says. "You have to be brought here by someone else who has already been here in order to find it."
"Would you like me to bring him by?" Harry asks.
"No, I'll go see him tomorrow." Malachi says. "I would rather not have him know where we live."
Harry nods. "Of course."
"Was there something else?" Malachi asks.
"Yeah, I told Sirius I'd ask you if you wanted to join our group that's trying to hamper Riddle." Harry says.
"I'll have to think about it." Malachi answers.
"I understand." Harry says.
"Thank you." Malachi says.
"One more thing, can you apparate me home?" Harry asks.
"When are you going to learn how to apparate?" Malachi asks.
"Actually we have appointments tomorrow morning." Harry says.
=== June 26 1995 ====
The sharp crack of apparition announces the arrival of the Potters. "Look at you two, passing the test on your first try." Draco says.
"Are you really surprised?" Hermione asks.
"I figured you would overthink the situation like Amanda did." Draco says.
Hermione nods. "Being with Harry has taught me to trust my instincts occasionally."
"And I've learned to try and think the situation through instead of rushing into things." Harry says.
"How's it feel being Lord Malfoy?" Hermione asks.
Draco hesitates then sighs. "It would be better if the Dark Lord and some of his servants weren't using my manor."
"We should tell the aurors." Hermione says.
"What good would it do?" Draco asks. "If they kill him he'll have to make a new body. He'll go back into hiding with whatever forces he can." Draco says.
"So what's the plan?" Harry asks.
"I'll spy for you. It's my idea, and Amanda agrees with it. We know the risks." Draco says.
"I don't like it." Hermione says.
"Do you have another idea?" Harry asks.
The crack of apparition interrupts them. All three of the teens turn and pull their wands out.
Sirius looks at the teens pointing their wands at him. "Seriously?" He asks. "Only a handful of people even know this apparition point exists."
"You can never be too prepared." Harry says.
Sirius sighs. "True."
"What brings you by?" Harry asks.
"I wanted to let you know that The Order of the Phoenix will be meeting you on August 1st at number 12 Grimmauld Place." Sirius says.
The three of them nod. "We're ready when you need us."