"Jack!" Eva hissed, as they trailed behind the man. "Merlin, he looks just like you."

"I did notice that, yes," said her brother, sounding dazed.

"So is that why we're trusting him?"

"We really have no choice, do we?"

The General led them to an old cottage, ushered them inside and shut the door. At length, he observed the siblings, who were standing in the middle of the living room, wearing matching expressions of frightened incredulity on their young faces. The boy, Jack, was half a head taller than his sister, with pale skin, fine, patrician features and hair the colour of chestnuts. His eyes were a perfect match for the General's—a grey that was more silver than storm. In contrast to her bother, the girl had a golden hue to her freckled skin. Her hair was long, curly and honey-blonde, and her eyes a warm topaz.

"We don't have much time, so I will make this brief. I do not have it within my power to undo the boundary enchantment that my master has erected around this area. In answer to your unasked question, the perimeter extends some sixteen square kilometres from the hub." He paused to allow Eva's gasp. "Nothing enters without permission and certainly, nothing leaves without permission."

"But we entered!" said Jack. "We walked right in!"

At this, the General looked an odd mixture of annoyed and resigned. "You were able to enter the area because the wards mistook you for me," he explained. "My name is Draco Malfoy. It's nice to finally meet the two of you. Your godfather has done an astounding job of hiding you from my Master these many years."

Eva swiped a hand under her running nose. "We lived with our grandparents in Australia until not long ago. You're this General everyone's afraid of, aren't you? Voldemort's right hand?"

"I am."

"Harry said our real father was dead."

"Not unwise of him, give the situation. I am not dead, however."

"But you're still a Death Eater?" Eva demanded.

Draco smiled oddly at the question. "Yes, I am still a Death Eater. Forgive my inappropriate amusement, but your mother asked me that question once, in exactly the same tone."

Jack shook his head. "I can't believe it. Harry always said our father was just a nobody, a mistake. He lied to us."

"I doubt anyone would have believed the truth, Jack. It was a unique set of circumstances that your mother and I found ourselves in."

"Did you love her?" Eva asked.

"Eva," Jack chided.

She ignored him. "Did you?" The General's eyes bored into her, but they were also Jack's eyes, so she was used to it.

"Yes," he said.

"But not enough to stay with her? With us?"

"It would seem that way, but that was not the entire reality of the situation. I could not have remained with her in her world without repercussions. I asked her to leave with me and she refused. She was adamant her duty was to her cause, to assist your godfather in his mission. I, meanwhile…" he sighed, "I made a mistake."

Jack's chin lifted. "She made the right choice."

The General nodded. His answering smile was tender. "It was her particular talent."

"I can hear people coming!" Eva informed them.

"The pair of you, come away from the windows," Draco ordered. He waited until they had done so. "Listen to me very carefully. When the wards come down, and believe me, you will know when they do, you are to go to the Ministry of Magic in London."

"But we're forbidden to go there."

There was something in the manner Jack replied that gave Draco pause. "I see, but I gather you have…visited anyway?"

"Yes," Eva said, managing to sound sheepish. "We just wanted to see it. Don't tell Harry."

Draco sighed. "You two have as much of a propensity for trouble as your mother did. A pair of fourteen-year old attempting unlicensed Apparation."

"Not attempting, succeeding," Eva corrected.

Draco's eyebrow raised. "As I said, you are to go to the Ministry. If I see your godfather after this, I will tell him of your destination."

Jack was wide-eyed. "You're in contact with Harry?"

"Harry Potter is the reason I'm here. He received your note and managed to get word to me of your harebrained plan. There was no other way to get to you in this place. Your godfather may very well find you himself when the wards are dismantled. If not, you are to leave without him, is that understood? He is aware of the plan and will expect you to comply."

The twins nodded in unison.

"How will you take the wards down?" Eva asked.

Draco removed his cloak. "By killing the original spell-caster."

Jack narrowed his eyes in speculation. "You're going to kill Voldemort, aren't you?"

"It's been a very long time coming, I assure you. Now, let me have one last look at you." Draco approached the twins, soaking up the sight of them. "Your Muggle grandparents have done a commendable job, but I cannot say much for their discipline or Potter's decision to bring you to England now. Granted, the fault is not entirely yours. If you didn't carry my blood, you would never have been able to access this area. Believe me, many have tried and failed."

"Is this a suicide mission?" It was Eva who asked the question. "That's what you're doing, isn't it?"

Draco very tentatively raised his hand and tucked a fly-away golden curl behind his daughter's ear. When he turned to leave, Eva caught a bit of his robe.

"Did our mother love you back? You have to tell me so…so I know how to remember you."

Their father considered the question at length. "Your mother was a remarkable woman. Enemies though we were, she somehow managed to find enough good in me to love.

Eva opened her mouth to ask something else, but Jack took hold of her hand and gave her a pointed look. That answer would have to be enough.

The cheering that rang through the Ministry was deafening. In Diagon Alley, people were dancing, drinking, singing and embracing in the street.

It took Harry Potter an excruciating thirty minutes to get to the room where the twins were waiting for him. He was waylaid by well-wishers and the Ministry medical team that poked and prodded at him as he limped his way—slowly, but surely—to his destination.

He had to speak to the twins. Arguably, he had been in many difficult positions in his life, but the idea of the twins finding out about the existence and loss of their father in such a way made his blood run cold. He was worried they would not wish to see him.

But his concerns were groundless, apparently. Jack and Eva hurled themselves into his arms as soon as he got the door open.

"Oh, ouch," he said, wincing and laughing. "Careful, now."

"We're so sorry," Eva said, crying. "We were only meant to be scouting, but the next minute we were inside the boundary and oh Harry, there were all these Death Eaters—"

Harry held up a bandaged hand. "It's fine. I was furious when I got the note from that scatty little owl, but when I contacted your father, which I can tell you was something of a minor adventure all ts own, he explained that the wards may very well have admitted entry to you without your realising it. In any case, arguably your escapade has worked out for the best."

Eva blew her nose. "I can't believe it. Voldemort is dead."

"The General," Jack asked. "Is he…"

Harry sobered. "Yes, Jack. I'm sorry."

Eva wept quietly into Harry's neck. Jack merely bit his lip and nodded. "He did the right thing in the end. That's something."

"That's everything," Harry said. He gathered both children into a tight embrace. "He did what any parent would do for their kids." Harry thought of Hermione, and for the first time in a very long while, the sadness that accompanied his memories lifted. "Your mother would have been proud."