Mr. Weasley's reply arrived fast, which meant he'd dropped everything at Kevin's letter and started asking questions. The parchment was close with his neat, careful handwriting.
The first confirmation: Bellatrix Lestrange, execution confirmed for the morning of the Ministry raid. Carried out by order of the Director of Magical Law Enforcement less than six hours after Voldemort's assault ended. No public announcement. The official record noted simply that all remaining death row prisoners had been processed.
Mr. Weasley had thought to ask about the body. Already disposed of — cremated, per standard procedure for prisoners without family claims. Three days after the execution.
The second confirmation: the Gringotts dispute. The vault in question belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange. Goblins confirmed it had been closed by its registered owner the morning after the Ministry raid. All assets withdrawn. Vault permanently deactivated.
Less than twenty-four hours between Voldemort's raid and the vault closing.
Kevin set the parchment down. Around him, the others read it in silence.
"They planned it exactly," Hermione said, very quietly. "Voldemort's attack gave them the cover. While the Ministry was dealing with eleven escaped prisoners, someone walked into Gringotts as Bellatrix, closed the vault, took everything, and walked out. Then the fake Bellatrix was executed before anyone thought to look closely."
"The Ministry was too embarrassed to publicise it," Kevin said. "One prisoner they couldn't save, after all that chaos. The Director ordered silence. Probably thought it made them look weak."
Or the Director had been paid for the silence. Kevin didn't say that out loud, but he filed it.
Sirius rubbed a hand over his face. "We were right there. The whole time we were focused on the breakout, Voldemort was using it to retrieve something from Gringotts."
"Not something," Kevin said. "The last Horcrux."
The word fell into the room and stayed there.
"Which means we don't know where it is now," Ron said.
"No." Kevin looked at the fire. "And the trail is a month cold."
Moody hobbled back in not long after, having apparently been in a separate part of the house working his own channels. He looked at their faces and didn't need the summary.
"We press on. Bellatrix is the priority now — she'll be somewhere near Voldemort, which means we focus surveillance on the Little Hangleton property." He turned to Sirius. "Get word to Albus. He needs to know the Horcrux is in play."
Sirius nodded and moved to his desk.
Moody pointed at Kevin. "Stop looking guilty. You extracted this from Lucius. Without that conversation, we'd have no idea where to start."
Kevin acknowledged this with a small tilt of his head. He knew Moody was right. It didn't fully dispel the frustration of having been this close and still missed it by thirty days.
But there was still a trail.
Upstairs, in the easier air of the second-floor hall, the conversation reset.
Draco had been waiting with poor grace for his moment. He crossed his arms the second Kevin sat down.
"You abducted me. I left all my things."
"Your parents can send them. I'll give you the address."
"They don't have the address. And they can't just —" Draco stopped. His eyes went to the folded paper Kevin had already produced. "Is that —"
"Give it to them with your next letter." Kevin held it out. "Don't read it, or it sets itself on fire."
Draco took it. Harry was watching with wide eyes.
"Kevin, that's the Order's address."
"Yes."
"You're giving it to the Malfoys."
"Yes."
A beat.
"Is that... safe?"
Kevin looked at Harry. Then at Draco, who was still holding the paper with an expression Kevin couldn't quite read — somewhere between stunned and something that wanted very much not to show itself.
"Lucius was Death Eater inner circle," Kevin said. "He knows more about Voldemort's network than half the Order put together. Narcissa's been sheltering Order-adjacent information for a year. And Draco — " he glanced over — "is sitting in our house right now."
Harry thought about it. Then, slowly, nodded.
Draco went to write his letter. He took himself into the far corner of the room and bent over the parchment, his back to everyone, and if his handwriting was slightly less neat than usual Kevin chose not to notice.
He understood the gesture for what it was: not a favour, but a declaration. Kevin didn't offer trust because it was safe. He offered it because it was earned, and because people who earned it deserved to know.
There was also the practical calculation, which Kevin was entirely honest with himself about: the Malfoy name opened doors in wizarding Britain that even Dumbledore had to knock for. Draco would inherit that someday. And Draco had learned, over the past two years, exactly where Kevin stood and what he stood for.
Heh, Kevin thought to himself, watching Draco seal his letter with the Malfoy family crest.
Draco looked up, caught Kevin's expression, and immediately looked suspicious. "What?"
"Nothing. Send the letter."
Draco sent the letter, thoroughly unaware that Kevin had just decided he was a long-term asset.
Which was fine. He'd figure it out eventually.
Well now, paid members are sitting pretty — thirty, fifty, a hundred chapters ahead of you, y'all. I do declare that's a mighty fine advantage, hon. Don't let them get too far ahead now