"Your father requests you to attend a special meeting tonight, before dinner."

I looked up across the desk at Snape in shock. I was never asked to attend meetings. They were usually only meant for Death Eaters.

"What about?" I asked, feeling a fluttering of fear. I still didn't like being in Voldemort's company, despite having spent every evening for the past two weeks attending dinner with him. It was always very awkward. Everyone was afraid to speak and only spoke when Voldemort prompted them. He would often ask how my lessons with Snape were coming along and sometimes asked for a little demonstration of my newly acquired skills which he would force everyone present to watch and applaud me afterwards.

It was mortifying to say the least.

"You didn't hear this from me, but word is out that the Dark Lord has finally permitted Lucius Malfoy to come home from Azkaban. I expect he has arranged some sort of pre-dinner homecoming surprise."

"Oh," I murmured. Draco's father. I had yet to meet him. It was my understanding that Voldemort was not happy with him for blundering up some adventure with Harry Potter, which is why he had set Draco that horrific task.

"Now," Snape rose from his chair, gathering his files. "I've got things to be getting on with, so you're free to have the afternoon off. I will be seeing you tonight at the meeting - I suggest you make the most of this rare recess."

I jumped up, not needing to be told twice. I had barely had any free time since arriving at this place and I was keen to find Draco and just chill out together.

Running through the grounds, I eventually found him sitting on a bench by one of the Manor's many ponds, looking somewhat despondently into it.

"Draco!" I cried running breathlessly up to him. He looked up in surprise, a small smile immediately tugging at his lips as he registered me. "Severus has dismissed me for the afternoon. I'm all yours!"

I sat down beside him and he draped an arm around my waist sighing contently as he pulled me to him.

"You look sad, Draco," I said gently, looking up at him and touching my fingertips delicately to his pale cheek.

"I'm just... worried, Astrid," he murmured, "for you - and for what the Dark Lord's plan is."

"What do you mean by plan?" I asked furrowing my brow confusedly, as far as I could see his only plan was to get to know me better before I went and finished my first and final year of school at Hogwarts. He had got what he had wanted: Dumbledore dead, thanks to my uncle.

"Astrid, you do know that man who is your father is responsible for the current war going on? He's not just here to have daddy daughter dinners and find out how your schooling is going."

"Of course I do!" I lied, feeling a little stung at Draco's condescending tone. "In fact, I've been asked to attend one of his meetings tonight before dinner." I added somewhat pompously.

"What?" Draco spat, suddenly sitting rigid. "Is it not enough that he is parading you about like some kind of trophy daughter? And now he's inviting you to meetings?!"

"Draco, I-"

"Why did you leave Snape's protection, Astrid?" Draco jumped up, looking down at me furiously. "You would still be safe if only you had stayed there!"

I felt a wave of hot anger bolt through my stomach. "And I would have never discovered the truth! Never found out that I am actually a witch! Is that your problem, Draco? Do you hate the fact that I am no longer your pathetic little Muggle to protect? That I can now do magic just as well, if not better, than you?"

"Seriously, Astrid! Please do not tell me you actually think that!" Draco cried incredulously.

"Well I don't understand why you think my life is suddenly in so much danger? If anything I have the least to fear - I am the Dark Lord's daughter after all, and I'm pretty sure if anyone so much as touches me then my father will see to it that they pay!"

Draco's chest heaved up and down heavily as he looked at me in complete disbelief. "This isn't you, Astrid. I refuse to believe this is you."

"Well piss off then!" I screamed, tears of hurt pricking at my eyes. I couldn't understand why he couldn't be happy for me. I was finally like him - I wasn't a Muggle. And my father wasn't a threat to us.

Shaking his head sadly, Draco walked away, leaving me sat alone on the bench, my heavy, uncomfortable long black dress making me melt against the afternoon sun's penetrating heat.

...

She was transforming before his very eyes and he was powerless to stop it. It made Draco feel sick with fear.

Voldemort was manipulating her, just as Snape warned he would. But she couldn't see it. All she could see was a father who wasn't physically abusing her.

Draco would watch her during dinner times. He noticed she dressed more carefully for these occasions and suddenly fussed about which dress to wear. And when Voldemort addressed her, he noticed her head would snap up keenly, unlike everyone else who tried to avoid eye contact as much as humanly possible.

He got it. She had grown up with a shit father who had treated her utterly horrifically. And now she had one who gave her the kind of attention she had always wanted from a father. A father who showed some level of protection. But if only Astrid realised at what price to pay.

When she came running towards him across the grounds that afternoon, he had been horrified that, for a fleeting moment, he thought it was Bellatrix.

And she had seemed almost proud to have been invited to one of those horrific meetings. It made Draco's heart fill with dread. The one saving grace was that Voldemort hadn't made her a Death Eater... yet. Until she was marked, there was a chance for her to still escape his clutches. The rest of them, however, were tied to serve Voldemort for the rest of his days.

He went straight to Snape's 'office', hoping he hadn't left yet after dismissing Astrid.

"Enter."

It seemed that Draco was just in time. Snape was stood next to the lit fireplace his hand paused above the little box on the mantlepiece.

"Quickly, boy. I have things to do."

"What does he want with her at the meeting tonight?" Draco rushed, his voice a breathless panic.

Snape sighed resignedly, dropping his arm and turned to face Draco.

"Your father is returning, the Dark Lord wants everybody present."

Draco felt both a little surprise at the news of his father's homecoming, and a flooded feeling of relief sweeping over him about Astrid.

"I thought- I thought he was going to make her-"

"He will in time, Draco. You must be prepared."

Draco felt his chest tighten as panic rose in him. "But he can't! She will never escape! And she can't even see it."

Snape surveyed him for a moment. Draco wanted to get on his knees and beg him to help.

"This is why I fought so hard to keep the secret from her," Snape drawled, obviously having read his mind. "Tom Riddle is a master manipulator, always has and always will be. You do not need me to tell you that he is a very dangerous man."

Draco looked up at him, shocked at Snape's use of Voldemort's real name.

"As long as she wants to be here with him, Draco, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do."

"Yes there is! You can talk to her - make her see sense! Or force her into hiding - anything!" Draco pleaded, desperate tears welling in his eyes.

"I will not kidnap my own niece, Draco. And besides - apart from locking her in a cage I cannot force her to stay in hiding. And as for trying to make her see sense - that could be a very dangerous move - one that could endanger us all. Do not forget that the Dark Lord is a highly skilled Legilimens. If Astrid cannot be persuaded then it will be certain to get back to him that we tried to lure his daughter away."

"But-"

"All we can do now is hope, Draco," Snape said sharply, "and I'm afraid all our hope is now left in the hands of Harry Potter."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. And in the meantime support Astrid as best you can. Believe me, she's going to need it after tonight's meeting."

"Why? What-"

"No more questions Draco," Snape said abruptly, turning back to the fireplace. "I'll see you later. And whatever you do - Do. Not. Be. Late."