Draco helped me to my feet and I almost cried out in horror as I saw the state of him.

"Draco, your face!" I whimpered, bringing my hand delicately to his cheek, trying not to touch the cuts that adorned him.

"Never mind my face, are you okay?" He murmured furtively, as his eyes scanned my body fearfully.

Loud, wailing cries made me swivel my head round to my left. "What's going on?" I trembled.

"I- I think someone has..." Draco's voice trailed off as the distinct sounds of human grief echoed amongst the ruins.

My heart was in my throat as Draco led us through the rubble towards the small gathered crowd up ahead, his hand gripped tightly in mine, holding me up every time I stumbled.

There was a body. A dead body.

"No," I trembled, as I saw Ron, Harry and Hermione sobbing besides it along with two other red heads. I recognised the deceased to be a Weasley; one of Ron's twin brothers.

"Shhh," Draco soothed quietly, holding me to him, "this is not our grief to intrude upon, let's-"

But what Draco intended us to do next, I didn't hear.

Because a voice suddenly boomed loudly in my head, making me buckle over and press my hands over my ears in shock, almost as if I could make it go away.

My father's voice.

"Daughter, it is time for you to join my side. It is time you come to me and stand together as a family."

"NO!" I screamed, crouching down on the ground and trying to rid his voice.

"Come to me now, daughter. Come to me now and I may spare your uncle's life."

An image of Snape looking fearful suddenly flashed in my mind. My eyes shot open.

"Astrid!" Draco cried, kneeling down in front of me as his hands grappled fearfully at my arms, trying to pull my hands away from my ears, "what is it?!"

"He's going to kill my uncle!" I wept, "he's going to kill Severus!"

"What?!" Draco spat, confusion and madness flickered at once in his grey eyes.

"I've got to save him," I said, standing shakily to my feet, "I can't have anyone else dying because of him. I've got to stop it!"

"No, Astrid, it's a trick!" Draco implored, standing abruptly up and bringing his hands up to desperately shake my shoulders, "it's got to be!"

"No," I said, shaking my head, "I can't take the chance. I can't let my father kill him!"

Something flashed in Draco's eyes. "Then I'm coming with you, Astrid." He growled fiercely. "I'm not leaving your side."

Grateful, I took Draco's hand in mine and, leaving the others to deal with their grief, led him towards the place where I knew my father was waiting for me.

The boathouse.

...

"Hello, father."

I tried not to let my fear show as I faced the noseless wizard before me.

My hand was still clutched tightly in Draco's as we entered the cold dank boathouse. I tried not to let my eyes rest on the terrified figure of my uncle as he stood backed into the corner, my father's vicious snake slithering on the ground at his feet.

"Ahhh, daughter!" My father said in soft, dangerous tones, "it's been a while. And I see you've brought young Draco. I've just been having interesting words with his father."

I felt Draco bristle next to me as his hand clutched tightly in mine. Our eyes simultaneously peered down at the blood soaked floor.

"Not to worry, not to worry," my father chortled, noticing our looks of horror, "Lucius is alive and... well, let's just say he's holding up, shall we? I don't spill pure blood unnecessarily, after all."

I shivered nervously as my father's eyes flicked maliciously over to Snape.

"Please, father," I said more bravely than I felt, "what is it that you want?"

"I was just having a nice little chat with Severus here about how his magnificent plan for you to lure Harry Potter to me has been coming along," he grinned down at me, making my blood turn cold, "not so well, it seems. Apparently, it appears that Harry Potter is getting closer to thwarting me. But how is that, darling daughter?"

I shuddered in horror as my father's glinting red eyes pierced into mine, and in that split second, I forgot to close my mind.

"Just as I thought," he smiled, his voice cold and calculating, "it seems that your doting uncle here has been a clever wizard. I should have known you would have worked it out in the end, Severus. Perhaps that'll teach me to trust someone so clever to be a loyal and faithful servant."

"M-my Lord-" Snape stuttered, making my heart twist in fear. I had never seen him look this afraid before and it was terrifying me.

"Hush, Severus!" My father barked, silencing him, "you have betrayed me. You have betrayed me to protect your filthy Muggle sister's child!"

I saw something flash in my uncle's black eyes at the mention of my mother, and he drew himself up a little taller, seeming to gain some of his poise back.

"You loved her once, Tom," he hissed, "don't forget that when you look into your daughter's eyes: You, Tom Riddle, loved once."

"Quiet!" Voldemort screamed, pointing his wand angrily towards Snape's heart.

Draco tugged at my hand, pulling me closer to his side, almost as if he was ready to jump in front of me if he needed to.

"Father, please!" I begged, "it doesn't matter what he's done, I'll do anything you ask, just spare him, please!"

"Oh, you will do what I ask, daughter," my father sneered back at me, his wand still pointing at Snape, "because after tonight, once I have defeated Potter, I will make you a queen. And the gift that you carry around inside of you will rise in you permanently. There will be nothing left of your mother in you. You will truly be the Dark Lord's daughter."

"No!" Draco hollered, squeezing my hand shakily in his. "You can't do that to her, you'll be killing your own daughter!"

"Oh, Draco," Voldemort chortled, "I'll only be killing her mother's side of her - from now on she'll just be the best part of me - ME! And you'll get the best gift of all - I'll make you her king. Your pureblood will be the final ingredient I need to make my future generation."

My eyes met Draco's in a look of mutual horror. I felt sick. I couldn't see a way out for us at all.

Well, I could - there was one way.

"Think of Pandora!" My uncle hissed, fear now completely gone from his eyes, "think of the woman you once loved! Of what you are doing to the child that you created out of love!"

"Enough!" Voldemort spat venomously, "your sister lied to me, she lied to me just like my mother lied to my father, entrapment doesn't create love - it creates evil!"

"If that is true then why does Astrid have the ability to love?" Snape goaded, not seeming to care how angry he was making my father, "She was made of love, Tom, and you know it - because that is what frightens you."

With a great roar, Voldemort swished his wand violently in the air, making me cling to Draco and close my eyes in fear.

When I opened them again, I was surprised to see my uncle still standing, and very much alive.

And just as I breathed a sigh of relief, my father uttered a single word that made my insides turn to liquid.

"Kill."

And this time I was too frozen in horror to close my eyes.

Nagini rose her head up level to Snape's, paused as if to meet his eyes, and then struck.

A silent scream left me as my uncle dropped to the floor, his hands clutching his neck where Nagini had taken her deadly bite.