"I'm going to keep going until I succeed — or die. Don't think I don't know how this might end. I've known it for years." –Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

*

Lock Your Doors: Xenner Free From Azkaban Once Again—When Will She Be Bolted Up for Good?

     The title of the Daily Prophet screams out at Draco as his owl drops it in front of him. He's thought about their encounter a lot, and he's decided he has respect for her. Why does she do what she does? He doesn't know; he doesn't care either. She's basically on the same level of evil as he is at the moment. The only difference is that her evil seems to be voluntary and not nearly as life threatening.

     Goyle snaps him out of his thoughts. "That Xenner chick is crazy."

     "Crazy hot," Blaise adds, eyeing the headshot of her. At first it appears motionless, but after a few seconds, she blinks slowly, almost mockingly.

     Draco scowls, remembering their chat. It seems like everyone in the Great Hall is talking about her release. She's usually never a big deal, so why is this time different? Draco guesses the Daily Prophet is just trying to distract people from the bigger, more dangerous problem of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Who better to use than a local criminal?

     "C'mon Malfoy, we'll be late for Potions if you keep dawdling," Blaise snaps.

     "You go ahead. I need to do some things." To Draco's relief, Blaise shrugs and moves on. Draco leaves once there are only a few people left and heads for the Room of Requirement. That damn Vanishing Cabinet isn't going to fix itself. He wants a better look at it. He's been at Hogwarts a whole week and all he's done is examine it because how is he supposed to fix something he knows nothing about? Borgin tried to give him a run down of how it worked, but everything that came out of his mouth was pure nonsense to Draco. The only thing he's sure about is that he has to test it before he tries using it. Otherwise, the Death Eaters could die coming through, and that spells treason.

     He's almost late to Potions, and since Snape has been promoted to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Slughorn doesn't show Draco the same favoritism. Draco shakes him off and sets his cauldron up next to Blaise and across from Pansy.

     "Wouldn't it be cool if Xenner came here?" Blaise asks as they attempt the challenge of opening frog eggs without spilling any fluid.

     "Why are you so obsessed with her?" Pansy scowls.

     "I'm not obsessed!" Blaise protests. "I just saw the headline this morning and think it would be cool if she was a student. You know she'd be in Slytherin."

     "If she came here," Pansy starts, "I'd have trouble with her. She almost blew up my cousin's shop."

     "That was your cousin's shop?" Draco sneers, amused at the idea.

     "That's what I just said."

     Draco can only smirk as he remembers how disappointed Darcy looked when she said the bombs never detonated. He also hopes that Darcy doesn't come to Hogwarts, especially if Pansy will have a grudge against her. But that's not really something to worry about. She would never be admitted.

     The next morning, there's another headline about her.

Xenner Spotted in Hogsmeade

     Draco frowns, getting slightly annoyed. She's not a wanted criminal (for now). Why are they keeping so many tabs on her? Are they that desperate to not write about Voldemort? Do they really think people will forget about him if they focus on Darcy instead?

     Draco shakes his head, setting the paper to the side and getting up to go to the Room of Requirement. He hasn't been able to eat much these days; he blames the nerves of getting this task accomplished in time. It's only September, but he's already feeling anxious.

     As Draco examines the Vanishing Cabinet and tries to fix a fixture in the bottom, a thought strikes him. When he went to Azkaban, he'd told Darcy that they might be allies someday because he assumed that in the end she would join Voldemort's side. He knows that's terrible to assume, and he doesn't want that for her or anyone, but it gives him an idea.

    Darcy made those bombs herself. That means she's good with her hands and perhaps brainy when it comes to repairs and building. Maybe she could help Draco fix the Vanishing Cabinet. The newspaper said she was in Hogsmeade--Draco could simply sneak her into the castle and get her help. And if it takes more than a few days, she can stay in the Room of Requirement.

     He knows it sounds crazy and could spell expulsion (and imprisonment for her) if they're caught, but the idea is too appealing, too promising.

     Draco will go to Hogsmeade this weekend to ask for her help. For now, all he can do is hope that she agrees.

*

Even three weeks in Azkaban makes someone miss the outdoors. Darcy especially enjoys the aroma of autumn, inhaling pumpkin scents and the anticipation of Halloween. She could sit on this rooftop forever, gazing at the trees and the pink sky, but she needs to find a safe place to go before people start harassing her and getting her into trouble.

     Darcy wonders if her parents would let her back in. She could promise to stay under the radar and behave. But, then again, they kicked her out after her first Azkaban visit. Why would they let her return? And does she even want to go back to their scolding and unaccepting ways? Not really. They're two people she wouldn't mind never seeing again.

Then there's Aberforth, someone who's always been there for her in her times of need. He lets her stay and eat for half the price, which she appreciates greatly. No one else would do that. But Aberforth can be busy in the fall because of those traveling for the later holidays, so she decides to not bother him unless he becomes a last resort.

That leaves only one more place. Darcy hastily decides to pay her uncle a visit and jumps down from the low roof. After quickly snagging her spellbooks from her hidey hole in a loose brick of Knockturn Alley, she Apparates to Diagon Alley.

While walking to her destination, Darcy thinks some more about what Fudge said to her. She understands where he's coming from—the whole You-Know-Who business has everyone on their toes. He doesn't want to deal with anything too trivial, like her.

     The truth is, Darcy had been thinking about laying low when her sentence was over anyways. Being in Azkaban and then out and then in and then out again can be very tiring. Of course, her need for exhilaration outweighs her conscious most of the time, but maybe she can find a hobby that will help her break the habit of doing bad things. She wants to be good for a few months—maybe catch up on some Quidditch matches she hasn't seen—and see what it's like to not be running from authorities.

Who knows? Maybe she'll prefer it.