Don't Ever Forget

XII.

An owl arrived for me early in the morning as I was getting ready to head to the Ministry.

Y/N,

Do not go to the Ministry today. Everyone who arrived early was turned away because some sort of incident happened. Harry and Ron think it might be a dark wizard. Stay home and stay safe.

-Hermione

"Some sort of incident"? How could she be so vague about something that could have been about a dark wizard? Was anybody hurt? Or killed? I let out a sigh as another realization hits me. This happened pretty soon after the incident with the muggle family. Could they be related? So many thoughts are flashing through my mind I barely hear the urgent knock on my door.

I walk slowly to the door. Hermione told me to be safe, and it's making me feel cautious now. If there truly was someone going after Muggleborn witches and wizards, I could be a target. I open the door just an inch and peek out.

"Let me in." Draco says, looking at me through the crack in the door. What the hell?

"Draco? What are you doing here?" I ask, refusing to open the door any more. After our last meeting at the cafe, he's the last person I want to see right now. He has a look on his face, like he's in a rush.

"Y/N, let me in, now. I don't have much time." I hate how he's demanding me but something in his voice scares me. It sounds like he's afraid. I open the door all the way and step aside, allowing him to come in. He looks at me gratefully and I shut the door behind him.

"How did you know I lived here?" I ask but he ignores me.

"I need you to know I had nothing to do with it." he says.

"You had nothing to do with what?" I ask, uncomfortable by the urgency of his tone.

"I will explain but you need to know that you aren't safe-" he says but is interrupted by yet another knock at the door. I turn to look at the door, distracted by the sudden noise and when I turn back, Draco is gone. Disapparated. Ugh. This short interaction with Draco has me on edge, scared for who might be at the door.

"Y/N, it's Billingsgate!" I hear him call through the door. I open it and he steps inside without invitation.

"Can I help you with something?" I ask him, annoyed by his rude behavior.

"It sounds like you were talking with someone." he says with an accusing tone.

"I wasn't," I lie, "Now, what are you here for?" He pauses and gives me a serious look, like he's about to tell me terrible news.

"The Ministry was broken into during the night. No one there had any idea and someone stole the old Muggle-Born registry records." he says. I gasp, knowing what this means for me. Although I went into hiding, my name must be in the records somewhere because of my attendance at Hogwarts. I am officially a target to whoever it was who stole the records.

"That's... horrible." I say, taking a seat at my kitchen table, in shock.

"I also have something else to tell you. Elflock stayed at the office late to study the recent muggle incident and she must have been there when the intruder came in. She was killed. The killing curse. I'm so sorry." he says and that's what breaks me. I feel my lip tremble but I try to keep it in while Billingsgate is here. I don't want him to see me weak but my friend is gone.

"No one else... no one else saw? There was no one there to help her or at least see who the intruder was?" I say, my voice trembling.

"No, I'm sorry," he says and I nod, "But that's why I came here so early. I know our relationship at the committee is... strained," I scoff at his understatement, "but I do care about you as a fellow committee member and as a person. I wanted to personally make sure you were safe."

"Do you think I'm in immediate danger?" I ask, trying to determine how true Draco's words to me were.

"I don't think anyone is after you but I would still be cautious. I also want to warn you about past Death Eaters in the Ministry. I know that you're familiar with one and there may be more. Stay away from them. The most likely explanation is that it was them, trying to continue Voldemort's work. Do you understand?" he says, and I know he's implying that Draco had something to do with the recent incidents. A shiver runs down my spine, imagining him killing the muggle family, and Elflock. No, he wouldn't have done it.

"I'll be careful." I say but he shakes his head.

"I don't know how much you think you trust him, but don't. You know his past. This is the same things Death Eaters would do. Don't ever forget that." he says. He stands in front of me for a moment, I'm guessing to make sure I understood him, and leaves. I stay seated at my table, trying to process everything I just learned. Poor Elflock. There's only one thing I can think of doing now. I wan't to get answers from Draco.