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 WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT

Lucius pulled Celeste behind him and Narcissa, trying his best to make his Lord forget about the girl but for nothing. The tall man walked towards the family, using his wand to move everyone away from Celeste. 

As Celeste heard the whimpers of her family who had just crashed on the floor with force, she swallowed and took a deep breath in, preparing herself for what's to come.

"Such a pretty thing," Voldemort said and with his wand, he moved a loose hair from Celeste's face. "So much like her mother I see, but she does have some natural Malfoy looks."

Celeste didn't say a word but quickly glanced at her parents and brother who had just got up from the floor and sprinted over to Celeste. Narcissa placed her arm protectively around Celeste's shoulder, making the girl feel at least little bit safer.

Lucius stood just few steps closer to the Dark Lord than rest of his family, trying to shield them from him.  

"My lord," Lucius managed to say. "Do you require me to do something?" He asked, hoping that any talk would distract the man.

"Yes, I require to speak with your daughter, Lucius," Voldemort smirked and glanced at the girl once again. "She and I have some business to discuss."

Narcissa tightened her arms around Celeste's shoulders and swallowed. "My lord, she has just come home and..."

Voldemort raised his hand to silence Narcissa. "I don't think I asked for your opinion, Narcissa. I'll make sure that the girl will be fine. Now go, and after that I wish to have another talk with your son. Unless you want me to use a curse on them. It's up to you Lucius and Narcissa."

"My lord, she's still confused. She doesn't really know anything about this," Lucius tried to reason his Lord although he knew it was for nothing. He moved closer to Celeste and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Hah, so now you decide to play brave. Well I'm afraid that won't do," Voldemort cackled and pulled out his wand and pointed at Celeste.

For a moment no one spoke, it was dead quiet. The drawing room the family and their Lord was in felt three times bigger. The walls seemed to have moved and the ceiling had grown. The room was darker, and for a moment it felt like it was pitch black. Carefully, Celeste moved away from her parents and gave them a soft smile. 

"I'll be fine," Celeste assured her parents and brother but none of them moved anywhere. "Please, go. No one needs to get hurt," she continued as Voldemort smirked and lowered his wand.

"B-but..." Lucius started but stopped when Celeste gave him a small peck on his cheek. 

"Go," she said again. "Or I'll make you go."

"That's the Malfoy spirit in her!" Voldemort shrieked almost proudly.

Draco stared at his sister who now was pleading with her eyes. He understood what his twin meant, and although he did not want to leave her, he also knew that not leaving means that Voldemort will hurt her and everyone else. 

"Mum, dad. Come," Draco sighed and took their hands, and almost dragged them out of the room while Narcissa and Lucius kept calling after Celeste, fearing that they won't see the girl again.

When the door finally shut, separating the girl from her family and leaving her with the most feared dark wizard of all time. Celeste took a deep breath in and held her head high. Many might think that this was a Malfoy thing to do, but Celeste actually learned this from William. Oh, how William and Olivia would start a fight if they are to find out that Celeste was alone with Voldemort.

"Now, I presume you're happy to be home," Voldemort started and walked closer to Celeste. "Please, do sit down. I always hate to have important conversations standing up."

Celeste nodded carefully and sat down on an armchair behind her while Voldemort sat on one right in front of her. The blond girl tried her best not to show any emotions or to think too freely as Voldemort was able to read her thoughts.

"As you know, your brother has contributed to our cause as a Malfoy and so I expect you to do the same. I believe you and young mister Potter are friends, am I correct?" He asked, his red eyes looking hungry.

Celeste shifted uncomfortably on her chair when Voldemort mentioned Harry. She didn't want to do anything to him, she didn't want to hurt him. It was true, they're friends although lately their friendship has had its up and downs when Celeste told him that she was a Malfoy. But then things started to get better when she decided to leave the Malfoys and live her life as normally as possible. Well, that plan didn't really work out.

"H-Harry and I, we are friends but not closest," Celeste spoke truthfully.

"Mmm but you're a smart girl. I'm sure you'll find out how to weasel your way back to his inner circle."

"But why?" Celeste asked, mentally cursing herself when she realized she had just spoken back at him.

Voldemort smirked. "I need you to be my source. I know of your abilities. You'll be able to find out what Potter really thinks. His plans, his army, his everything. That stupid boy had learned how to fight against his mind when it comes to me, but he'll never realize that his sweet friend Celeste is going to do the same.

"And before you say 'I can't' or something equally stupid, let me remind you that your family is just in the other room and I have no issues to hurt them. Oh, and I can't forget about your dear tante, your little boyfriend or your best friends now could I?" He cackled.

"No," Celeste said.

"Excuse me?" Voldemort scoffed, no one has ever spoken against him.

"I won't do it," Celeste stated firmly. "I don't even recognize these abilities you and Dumbledore so much speak of," and before she could had said anything else, a stabbing pain travelled across her body, making her scream and cry out of pain. 

She fell onto the floor, her head hitting against the marble floor, her arms twisting and her legs kicking.

She wasn't sure how long it had lasted, it felt like days to her when the pain finally stopped. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw how Voldemort started to walk away from her and opened the door. She tried her best to keep her eyes open, but they closed, she was too tired.

"You should teach her some manners. I don't like it when people don't obey," Voldemort said calmly to Narcissa and Lucius, like he just didn't torture a seventeen years old girl. "I expect her to take this lesson seriously and she'll learn not to talk back at me," he continued and disappeared from the doorway.

Narcissa was the first one to run to Celeste, who was still laying on the floor, her eyes closed. "No no no," Narcissa whispered on the verge of tears. "Open your eyes baby, open your eyes." 

Lucius ran to his wife and daughter and kneeled down on the floor. He carefully took Celeste's hand and gently shook her. "Come now, princess. Open those eyes," he said, his voice cracking with every word.

Draco stared at his parents from the doorway before daring to look at his sister. He couldn't move, never in his life has he been in so much pain.

Suddenly Celeste let out a soft sigh, and opened her eyes. "I told you, princess is too obnoxious," she chuckled slightly, making her mother cry and her father letting out a small sob as she smiled at them.

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WILLIAM STARLING 

has worried for his niece many times but none of those times beat this one. The overly worried William had ran into Celeste's dormitory after Olivia informed him that Dumbledore's been killed. Even Celeste's boyfriend didn't know where Celeste was which made William even more worried, normally the boy knew everything about Celeste but now, it seemed like Leo was nothing more than useless.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" William nearly yelled at Leo who rubbed the back of his neck. 

It has been two hours since the death of Dumbledore and about one hour and fifty-five minutes since Olivia and William realized that their niece was nowhere to be found. William had asked everyone, from each Ravenclaw students to Hufflepuffs, then the Gryffindor and even from the Slytherins but no one knew where she was. The concerned and upset uncle had went to Professor McGonagall, to Trelawney, to Flinch and even to Sprout but nothing.

"I mean I don't know," Leo sighed, his mind running faster than ever. "The last time I saw her, was before she went to sleep in her dormitory."

"Shit," William cursed under neath his breath.

Olivia who was standing next to her husband, placed her soft hand on his shoulder to offer him some comfort. Olivia felt partly guilty for the sudden disappearance of Celeste ― she was the one who was basically in charge of Celeste when in Hogwarts.

She had expressed her feelings to William who assured her that it wasn't her fault that Celeste was nowhere to be found. 

Running footsteps approached them and soon Hermione Granger was in their view. 

"Professor Starling---I mean Mrs Starling---I mean, Olivia," rambled Hermione when she stopped. "I, I think I know where Celeste is."

Olivia's eyes grew wider, she wanted to hug the smartest witch of her time. She knew Hermione was smart and intelligent but this was already something else. "Oh Merlin thank you. Where is she?"

"I think she's with Draco, at the Malfoy Manor," Hermione explained.

"W-what makes you think this? Celeste wasn't talking to Draco, she didn't want to have anything to do with the Malfoys," said William.

"Last time she talked about them, she was ready to curse her mother," Leo pointed out the time Celeste had found out about the letter her mother had written to the Ministry, although she was never going to send it.

"Draco isn't here and Harry saw him with the Death Eaters just before Dumb---," Hermione started but sighed sadly by the thought of their dead Headmaster. "I'm not sure obviously, but I think she's with her brother. I hope she is because there's nothing else I could had thought of."

"You hope she's with her Death Eater brother?" Leo frowned.

Hermione shook her head. "Of course I don't hope so, but at least then we'll know where she is."

"Thank you, Hermione," Olivia smiled slightly and walked over to the girl and hugged her. "We'll go and find her. You take care of yourself and friends over here. Yes?"

"Yes," Hermione. "Celeste was right. You do give the best hugs," and with that Hermione left the room, closing the door behind her.

William massaged his temples, this was definitely not the time for his niece to go and spend time with her family who were involved with Voldemort. Thinking of a plan once, then again and once more, he exhaled and turned to his wife.

"I am going to the Malfoy Manor," announced William.

Olivia nodded but frowned a little. "You mean us, right?"

"Oh, you are not coming. God knows what's going on there," said William, not wanting to risk his wife's life.

"She's my niece as well," said Olivia sternly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I am coming with you."

"So am I," said Leo, earning a sharp glare from William. "I know you don't like me Mr Starling but I do care of Celeste, a lot so I am coming as well."

William turned to look at his wife again. He knew the look she was giving him and there was no way around it. He admitted his defeat. "All right then Liv, you can come. But Mr Marchal is staying."

"I have to agree with William," said Olivia, turning to Leo. "You are too young to get into this mess."

"I don't care. My girlfriend..." started Leo, noticing the look of disgust shining from William's face when he called Celeste his girlfriend. "...might be in danger and you are going to need all the help you can get. In the worst case, I'll get killed which I know will please you, Mr Starling."

"I don't want you to die..." muttered William before letting out a heavy sigh. "But fine. If you promise to stay out of the way."

"I promise," said Leo.