Mary didn't miss Malfoy Manor.

The last thing she wanted to see was the gloomy estate, along with the people inside of it. Fear and dread took over as Bellatrix Lestrange was there waiting for them. She used her wand to lift the enchantments and to open the gates.

She felt Draco staring at her as they kept walking, but didn't exchange a glance his way in response. There was guilt piling up inside of her, knowing that part of this was her fault, along with Draco getting dragged back in this mess as well.

"It's great to be back, isn't it?" he muttered in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm thrilled," she responded back with the same tone.

"I'm sorry for what I did," he said. "If it hadn't been for me--"

"You didn't have a choice," she interrupted him. "Don't blame yourself for that."

When they reached the front door, Draco and Mary's parents were already there to lead them inside. It looked as if nothing had been touched, yet everything was spotless. Seeing that the manor was the same, Mary expected the people residing in it didn't change, either.

The Snatchers took the Fire Pack to the drawing room, where the long table from before was no longer there. Mary watched as her friends were pushed down to their knees, grunts and gasps escaping their lips. For a moment, she turned away, locking eyes with her parents. She wasn't sure if the expressions on their faces was relief that their daughter was safe or angry that their daughter ran away. One thing Mary was certain about was that most likely, her parents were disappointed in her decision.

Did they expect her to get caught? Mary didn't know, but this was something she didn't anticipate at all.

Scabior backed away, along with the other Snatchers, letting Bellatrix take over. She paced around the five of them, her eyes scanning each individual person, a small snicker coming out of her mouth. Each move she made was careful, as Bellatrix Lestrange was one to observe every detail in someone until they were ready to crack. Good thing Bellatrix wasn't focusing on Mary, then, because she was just about to reach her breaking point.

When Bellatrix was finished looking at the Fire Pack, she lifted her head, turning towards the Snatchers. "Are they all Mudbloods?" she asked.

"It's just those two," Scaboir answered, pointing at Oliver and Eliza.

"And the rest of them?"

"The two boys are half-bloods and the girl is pure-blood."

"Are you sure?"

"I confirmed it, Auntie," Draco spoke up. "They went to Hogwarts with Mary and I."

Mary took a deep breath as she heard her parents step beside her, to which she didn't glance their way. Instead, she kept her eyes fixated on Oliver, where tears were about to form. When he glanced at her, there was nothing but hurt plastered on his face, an expression that made Mary's heart ache.

It wasn't entirely my fault this happened, she thought. She just wished she could tell Oliver and the rest of his friends that. Maybe they'd understand once they got the full story, but really, it was obvious that she had diminished the trust she had built up these last few months. All of that for nothing, it seemed like.

No.

She wasn't going to let that hard work go to waste. No matter how she did it, she had to let them know how it went down. It might not convince them, no matter how hard she tried, but she had to put some effort into it. Otherwise, the Fire Pack would turn into ashes in no time.

"Very well, then," Bellatrix stated, a smirk creeping up on her face. "I think I'm going to have fun with these two." She motioned her hand towards Oliver and Eliza. "Take them all down to the cellar for now, minus the blood traitor. Her, Mary, and Draco are coming with me."

Mary didn't have time to fight as she was quickly being dragged away out of the dining room by her mother. The sound of the Fire Pack fighting and begging to not be separated from one another. Jacob was doing the majority of the shouting, wanting to go after Violet, who cried out for him. When Mary attempted to turn around, her mother used her other hand to keep her daughter facing forward.

Bellatrix led them to Lucius' study, to which he was the last one inside before Narcissa closed the door. Draco, Mary, and Violet were placed in one of the front corners of the office, along with Mary and Draco's mother, who held almost a protective stance next to their kids.

Violet did her best to not whimper in front of the others, as a scared expression and the tears slowly falling down her face was already enough. Despite being far away from the dining room, Mary swore she could still hear Jacob yelling for his girlfriend.

"Well, I'm glad you two are back in one piece," Suzanne Fowler stated towards Draco and Mary. "We were all worried about you."

"Yes, I'm sure you were," Mary retorted sarcastically.

"We were, Mary," Walter Fowler agreed. "You could've died and we wouldn't even know."

"I was perfectly safe," she said defensively. "In fact, I was safer with my friends in the woods than I was in here with all of you."

Her mother let out a scoff in response. "Right, and look where you ended up back at."

"Enough of the bickering!" Narcissa intervened with a hiss. "We have more important matters to discuss, like what to do with the five kids we just brought back here."

"Well, if Scabior had done his job and taken the Mudbloods to the Ministry, then they wouldn't be our problem," Lucius spat out.

"There was a reason why they didn't go to the Ministry," Mary said.

"And why is that?" he responded in a bitter tone.

Mary took a deep breath. "It's because of me."

All eyes fell on her in shock, with the exception of Draco.

"What are you talking about?" her mother asked.

Mary looked at Draco, then back at everyone else. "So here's what happened..."

*******

"Bloody hell, it's disgusting down here," Andrew stated, a grimace look on his face.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious," Eliza retorted.

"It's not so bad," a dreamy voice echoed through the cellar. "You get used to it after a while."

The four looked over to see Luna Lovegood sitting on the cold floor, her face with some bruises and cuts, along with her clothes dirty and worn out.

"Luna?" Oliver spoke up.

"Hello, Oliver," she replied.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I was captured," she explained. "The Death Eaters didn't like what my father was writing about in The Quibbler. I've been here since before Christmas."

Almost a month? "Merlin, that's a while, then."

"Well, Mr. Ollivander has been here longer than me." She stood up and went to sit with the frail man in the corner, where he had his head down and eyes closed. "He's getting weaker."

"That's awful," Eliza commented.

"Which is why we need to figure out a way to get out of here," Jacob proclaimed, joining the conversation.

"Well, since you're so brilliant with plans, go ahead and come up with something," Oliver retorted.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "I mean, you can't seem to do it yourself, obviously."

Oliver's pacing habit started up as he felt the irritation rise. "My mind is too focused on what those people up there are going to do to me and Liza since we're nothing but scum in their eyes."

Eliza gave him a sad look. "Oliver, don't think like that."

"I can't help it. The idea of being captured already scared me, but now that it actually happened..." he trailed off, and his pacing slowed down, but his anxiety was beginning to get to him.

"Of course, we know who to blame..." Andrew muttered.

Before Oliver could respond to his comment, the sound of footsteps on the concrete stairs got louder. Everyone shifted their eyes towards the gated door to see Mary and Violet coming down the steps. Both of the girls' faces were red, wet, and swollen from crying.

Mary opened the door and led the blonde girl inside. "We don't have long," she informed them.

Jacob ran towards Violet and pulled her in for an embrace. "Are you okay?" he asked frantically, holding her tight. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "You?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

As Andrew and Eliza went to be with the couple, Oliver didn't move, keeping his eyes on Mary. Reluctantly, he took one step forward, to which she let out a shaky breath.

"Oliver..." she started. "I'm so sorry."

"How could you betray us?" he asked in a harsh tone. "After all we did for you, Mary..."

"Let me explain," she said. "Scabior had Draco use Legilimency on me to reveal the location of our campsite. The only reason why you and Eliza weren't sent to the Ministry was because we made a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Andrew spoke up, his expression close to being angry.

"That Violet and I join the Snatchers in exchange for the safety of you all."

Jacob pulled away from Violet, giving her a sympathetic look. "As in, go all over England and round up Muggle-borns to send to the Ministry."

Mary nodded her head. "Yes."

Andrew's nostrils flared up. "So you're forcing Violet to join Snatchers in catching Muggle-borns to be arrested and imprisoned by the Ministry."

"I did it to protect you, specifically, Oliver and Eliza. If they were sent to the Ministry, then there would be no mercy for them. I saved your lives."

Andrew scoffed. "Hardly. So what exactly happens to the rest of us?"

Mary shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." Her eyes shifted back towards Oliver. "Believe me, if I could find a way to get you all out of here--"

"Don't," he cut her off harshly. "You've done enough damage."

"Oliver, this wasn't all my fault," she protested. "I'll admit that in the moment I let my judgement get clouded, but--"

All of a sudden, another set of feet was heard, only they were going at a quicker pace. A blond head appeared, revealing to be Malfoy. He looked over at Mary and Violet. "Come on. They're looking for you two."

Violet's eyes were filled with tears as she gave Jacob one last hug. "I don't want to leave you down here," she whimpered.

"I know," he whispered. "It'll be alright, I promise." He softly grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her lips. "I love you, Violet."

Violet's lips quivered. "I love you, too, Jacob." With that, she slowly walked away from him and went next to Draco.

Mary took a hold of Oliver's hand. "I'll figure something out."

The boy let his eyes linger for a moment before he dropped his hand back to his sides. "Like I said, you've done enough damage. We'll find a way out without your help."

There was a hint of heartbreak in Mary's face as she turned around and left the cellar, closing the door behind her. As Malfoy led Violet back up the stairs, Mary turned her head one more time to glance at Oliver, who had his back towards her now. Inhaling, she turned back around and headed up the stone steps, where the sound of her walking ringed in his ears until it eventually faded and he could no longer hear her footsteps anymore.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Oop, here comes the angst (and it's only gonna get worse).

Song above is I Have Questions by Camila Cabello.

Comment vote, next update will be on 8/2.

-A