26

"It's so nice to have the children and grandchildren here today, isn't it?" Hermione said. "It's been so long." She sighed contentedly and looked out over the lush green lawn. The sun was setting, and every so often, a lightning bug would flash in the growing darkness.

"It was nice for a little while, anyway. Listen. I hear no arguing, no screaming, no tiny voices begging for sweets!" He smacked at a mosquito that was hovering over his arm, making the porch swing lurch to the left. "Damn little blood suckers! The mosquitoes, I mean, not the grandchildren!"

Hermione laughed lightly, kicked off her shoes and swung her legs over his. She loved to sit like this with him, listening to the crickets chirping and the squeaking of the swing. It was so peaceful, so romantic. "I wish it could always be like this."

"Like what? Dark and full of bugs?" He reached out suddenly and snatched a lightning bug from the air in front of him. He slowly opened his palm and watched it light up.

"No, you moron. I meant the way we are right now. Just the two of us sitting and talking, being alone with one another. It doesn't seem to happen all that often anymore." She frowned. "You're always at work or off playing cards with Ron and Harry. Even Amee and Jasper are always off somewhere together."

Draco tossed the bug into the air and watched it fly away. "I'm sorry, love. Have I been neglecting you?" he asked, stroking her leg. He leaned his head against the back of the swing and smirked at her. "How shall I ever make it up to you?" His hand was sliding further up her bare thigh, and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Never could she stay mad at him for very long. The way the corner of his mouth curled in that devious smirk still made her heart beat fast and her knees weak. He was still a very handsome, charming and playful man. He had only to look at her with those sexy, grey eyes and she would melt...and he knew this. "You are such a..."

"Fuck machine?" he said, thrusting his hand all the way up her skirt and attacking her mouth. She was still so beautiful, so desirable. It made him crazy with lust just to watch her walk by. After all these years, they were still so much in love. They were very lucky to have found one another, and he thanked Dumbledore daily for his little time trip.

From the shadows, Jasper spoke to Amee. "To hear dear grandfather refer to himself as a 'fuck machine' is highly disturbing, don't you think?" He pulled her closer into the trees, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I guess it runs in the family though, doesn't it, Amee?" Her head fell back as he placed gentle kisses on her neck, his hands running over the smooth material of her dress.

Amee's head began to swim, just as it always did when her brother touched her, kissed her, made love to her. He was intoxicating, and she just couldn't get enough of him. Far off, in the back of her mind, she knew this was seriously wrong, but whenever she started to think about stopping the illicit affair, he was always there with his soft caresses to change her mind.

He was like no other lover she had ever had. It was like he instinctively knew what she wanted; she was never disappointed in their love making. He was also very charming, and their talks were full of his witty humor and sharp intellect. It was nice to lie in his arms in the late afternoon, discussing the newest novel he had read, or laughing at some joke he had heard at the pub the night before. Still, sometimes, she would think, 'What the hell am I doing? He's my brother! This is wrong and it has to stop! For YEARS now, she had let it go on, had fallen more in love with him, and now, she realized that she was helpless to end it.

Jasper's kisses became rougher, needier. He wanted her so badly right now, was tempted to throw her up against the tree and rip her clothes off. She smelled so damn good...always did, her scent haunted his very dreams. He knew what had started off for him as a conquest had now turned to obsession and passion. He loved his sister, couldn't get enough of her. It wasn't just the mind-blowing sex, but the fact that she knew him better than anyone else. She knew secrets about him that no one else knew. He didn't have to hide his true self when he was around her, and that was refreshing.

He couldn't stand to be away from her for too long and found himself thinking about her day and night. He looked forward to seeing her smile every morning at breakfast; he had never thought a woman would ever give him a smile like that, so full of naked emotion. It made his pulse race and his palms sweat. He loved her! Loved her with every fiber of his being!

Jasper slowly raised up her dress, finding her naked underneath. After releasing his aching cock from his pants, he lifted her slightly and then slowly entered her. She moaned, grabbing his hair and pulling it as he slid in and out of her. "Exciting to know that our grandparents are just steps away, isn't it?" he asked. "That at any second they could look this way and see us." He kept his slow pace, driving her absolutely crazy. He could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.

Amee shuddered as a wave of pleasure washed over her tingling body. Jasper thrust up and pushed her down on his cock at the same time, and he almost screamed out as he released inside of her. He rested his flushed forehead against her chest, listening to her heart beat frantically. "I love you, Amee," he said, closing his eyes.

A jolt went through her, and she slid down his body until her feet were once more on the ground. He had never said that before, and it shocked her to hear it. "Did you just say that you love me?"

"No, you're just hearing things." He smirked at her playfully.

"I'm glad because we promised that we would never let it go that far."

"Promises were made to be broken, my dear sister."

"Jasper, you have to know that this could never be," she said, motioning between them. "No one would understand or accept this."

"Then let us run away. We could go anywhere, be anyone we wish," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. "No one would ever know the truth."

"We would," she said, her eyes searching his. God, he was beautiful! Those lips, that dark hair, that stubble that made him look so damn sexy! No wonder women threw themselves at him. All he had to do was flash them a smile or stare at them with those penetrating, grey eyes. "This is wrong, isn't it? We shouldn't be doing this!" Amee said, tearfully. "I should just go away... I can't do this anymore!"

Jasper's smiling face suddenly turned angry; his eyes flashed with violence. He reached out and grabbed her arm, and she winced as he dug his nails into her tender flesh. "Don't you EVER think about leaving, Amee," he said through clenched teeth. Already, he could feel the need to hurt her.

Amee closed her eyes and waited for the pain she knew would come. It had been a while since he had hurt her, and she was a damn fool for thinking he had somehow changed. She always blamed his lack of control for his violent outbursts; never would she let herself think that he enjoyed hurting her. That was the old Jasper...the one who was crazy, the one who liked to torture the innocent. He had grown, matured and left all of that behind, right?

"You belong to me, dear sister...body and soul." He dug his fingers in her flash harder and yanked her closer. "I'd rather fucking kill you than let you leave." He leaned into her, putting his face nose to nose with hers. "And you know I'd do it." He pushed her away and she fell to the ground. "You seem to forget who I am, Amee, what I'm capable of."

She stared up at him, looking like a trapped animal. "Oh, I've never forgotten, Jasper! How could I?" She wiped the tears away, only to have her eyes well up again. "I bear scars as proof to your madness!" She lifted her bangs and exposed a long, thin scar across the side of her forehead. "Remember this? It happened the last time I spoke of leaving."

"Well, apparently it didn't hurt enough! I should have thought about breaking your damn skull instead of just pushing you down the stairs." He was shaking with anger. How dare she talk about leaving him! He watched as she grabbed her throat, gasping for air. He was thinking about wrapping his hands around her neck and choking the life out her. "Do you think that by running away you'll be able to get rid of me? Get rid of me for another man?" he laughed. "Look at you! You're tainted goods, darling sister! No one but me would ever want you!"

Amee struggled for air, and finally, as she was about to pass out, the pressure was removed. She lay on the grass as waves of dizziness washed over her. "How can you hurt me like this, Jasper?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Jasper looked down at her. "I would rather see us both dead than live without you," he said. She was just lying there, crying, her face hidden by her long hair. He suddenly felt a small stab of hatred for her. Why did she have to make him do this? It was all her fault! If only she wouldn't talk of leaving him! "You're to blame for this, Amee! Do you think I enjoy hurting you? I don't, but you left me no choice!" He suddenly turned and was gone, leaving her broken and bruised, alone and scared for her life.

"Here comes Jasper," Hermione said, watching her grandson stalk across the moonlit lawn towards them. "And he doesn't look happy."

Draco narrowed his eyes at the tall man coming up onto the porch. "Something wrong?" The air had somehow become thick and stifling, almost too heavy to breathe. He had noticed this phenomenon happened whenever his grandson was feeling particularly upset. It was one of many strange things about Jasper that Draco couldn't explain.

He had always made sure to keep a close watch on Jasper. He still had a suspicion that he had something to do with Hermione's murder. There had been strange dreams, almost precognitive in nature, where Jasper was standing in the library, laughing like a loon, while Hermione lay on the floor, a glass of spilled wine next to her body. He didn't know if Jasper was the one to find Hermione or if he was the cause of her death; all he knew was that time was slipping away and he had yet to pinpoint the killer.

Draco kept journals, writing down every detail of these dreams and visions, hoping that he would be able to put all the pieces together before it was too late. He was determined this time to stop it.

"Nothing's wrong, Grandfather. Amee and I just had a little row is all," he said, giving Draco a dashing smile. "And now I've come to take my grandmother for her nightly walk in the gardens, even though it is past twilight." He held out his hand for Hermione. "Time sort of got away from me this evening."

"That's alright, Jasper," Hermione said, linking her arm through his. "I had a wonderful time catching up with my husband."

"And she shall have a more wonderful time later tonight, if you know what I mean," Draco said, winking.

"Why Grandfather!" Jasper said, pretending to be shocked. After all, his grandfather and grandmother flirted all the time. He was used to it, and he hoped that when he was their age, he and Amee would still be so much in love.

"What can I say? I've always been a horny little devil!" he laughed. Hermione agreed, and with a smile, she kissed him, and then she and Jasper were off on their nightly walk.

Draco laid down on the swing and closed his eyes. It really was a beautifully quiet night. The chirping of the crickets was interrupted by a soft voice whispering from the side of the house.

"Grandfather!" it whispered. "Have they gone?"

Draco sat up, squinting into the darkness. "Amee? Is that you?"

She stepped out of the shadows, and Draco stood up. "What happened?" he asked, taking in her tear streaked splotched face and the frightened look in her huge eyes.

Amee came swiftly onto the porch and fell into his arms, sobbing, "Oh, Grandfather!"

Draco held her tightly. "Amee, darling, tell me what's wrong."

"I... I need your help; I need to get away, far away from here!" She closed her eyes and prayed that her grandfather would ask no questions, but just give her the help she needed. She knew this was her only chance to break away from Jasper, and she intended to take it.

Draco instinctively knew not to question Amee. If she wanted him to know why she was upset, she would have told him. He wondered what had gone on between his two grandchildren. First, Jasper was upset and admitted that he and Amee had a row, and now, Amee was on the border of hysterics and asking him to help her run away.

"Where is it that you want to go?"

"I don't know! All I know is that I have to get away from him!" She looked at Draco, willing him to understand that her life was in danger and that it was because of Jasper. "Please! Will you help me?"

"Of course I'll help you. Get some things packed. Hurry!" Draco ushered her into the house. "Take only the necessities; I'll send you the rest later."

Amee ran to her room, tossed some clothes into a bag, grabbed her personal things and then ran towards the door. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she paused. "This is it, Amee. Don't be afraid," she said to herself and then ran back downstairs. "Where should I go?" she asked Draco, who was peering out the window, looking for his wife and Jasper. They were due back any minute.

He turned as she entered the hall. "Don't worry, I know the perfect place. He will never be able to find you." Draco took her hand in his. "Did he hurt you? Is that why you're hiding?"

Amee wanted so badly to tell him everything, but was so afraid that he would be disgusted and disappointed in her that she said nothing.

Her silence was answer enough for Draco...that and the fact that she had angry red finger marks on her bare arms. "Close your eyes. Soon, you will be safe. Only I'll know where you are, and there is no way that I'll ever tell anyone...no matter what." He placed his hands on her face. "You are my beautiful girl and I love you. I will see you soon." He kissed her forehead, and with a wave of his wand, she was gone.

He stood there, staring at the spot where she had just been standing. The front door opened, and Hermione and Jasper strolled in, laughing merrily. Draco smiled at them, trying to look like nothing was wrong. "How was your walk?"

"Wonderful as always!" Hermione said, heading for the library. "Care for a drink?" she asked them, lifting the decanter of brandy. "I know how you men love your brandy!"

Draco gave a fake laugh along with Jasper's real one and took the glass from Hermione. He was studying Jasper, looking for any outwards signs that something was wrong, but all he saw was his normal, gentlemanly self. This man had hurt Amee and was acting like everything was fine. He had known that his grandson was capable of violence, but chosen to believe that he could change...apparently, he hadn't.

He blamed himself for being so gullible and blind. He blamed himself for doing nothing while this man hurt his granddaughter. 'How could I be so fucking stupid?' he asked himself. 'He just has this way of sweet talking you, charming you into thinking he's a nice guy with good intentions. Well, it's not going to work any more!'

As Jasper poured Hermione a glass of red wine and handed it to her, Draco suddenly got that strange feeling of deja vu, and flashes of his dreams and visions danced through his mind. He heard Jasper speak as if far away, and it all clicked in his mind. He recognized it, and it chilled him to the bone. It had always bothered him that he never saw the killer, only heard him. He could never place the voice...until now.

Draco drank his brandy in a single gulp and said nonchalantly, "What happened with Amee earlier? She was crying and in pain." He looked at him from the corner of his eye as he poured himself another drink. He wanted to see his reaction.

Jasper paused in mid-sip and eyed his grandfather over the top of the glass. He knew right away something was off. His grandfather was a sly, crafty old man, and Jasper always had to tread lightly around him. He could never fool Draco for very long. "What exactly are you insinuating?"

"I'm not insinuating anything, Jasper," Draco said, walking over and sitting down in the black leather recliner. "I'm simply inquiring as to the nature of the row you had with her," he said, swirling his brandy. "And I'm also curious as to why she had bruises on her arms in the shape of your fingers. What have you been doing to her?"

Hermione realized the air in the room had changed. She knew from Draco's tone, and Jasper's body language, that they were about to have one of their knock down, drag out fights, and she sought to stop it before it got out of hand. "Now, Draco!" she said, patting Jasper's arm lovingly. "You can't honestly think that he would ever hurt Amee! That's just ridiculous!"

Jasper stared into Draco's face, trying to intimidate him, but Draco was no damn coward, and he spoke exactly what was on his mind. "As ridiculous as it may seem to you, my love, it's true... isn't it, Jasper?" He was determined not to be the first to break eye contact...or even blink. "And it's not the first time, is it?"

Jasper suddenly smiled sweetly, but his eyes were pits of swirling molten steel as he tried with all his might to keep his composure. "Grandmother, I think it's time you looked into putting grandfather into a retirement home for aging Wizards. He's clearly losing his mind!"

Draco chuckled, "My mind is as good as it ever was. Stop trying to shift the damn attention onto me and answer the fucking question, Jasper!"

Hermione was stunned at the way Draco was speaking to Jasper, but she trusted her husband, and he never said or did anything unless he meant it. There had to be some explanation as to why he was accusing Jasper of hurting Amee. Draco must have some proof to back it all up, and Hermione was scared out of her mind that what Draco was saying was true!

"I have never laid one damn finger on Amee, regardless of what she might have told you! But then, I'd never expect you to take my word over hers. She's a saint in your eyes, and I'm the fucking devil incarnate!"

"Jasper!" Hermione yelled.

"Well, it's true! Little perfect Amee, always so good and pure! You have no idea what she's really capable of! If you only knew what a little whore she really was!"

Draco stood; the blood was pounding in his ears, and he was this close to losing control. "How dare you speak about her like that, you murdering bastard!"

"Oh, excuse me for tarnishing your vision of your perfect angel of a granddaughter!" Jasper said sarcastically. "God forbid that I say anything to knock her from her fucking pedestal!" he shouted.

Hermione looked around, suddenly feeling a breeze. The air was positively crackling with electricity as papers and knick-knacks were starting to lift off surfaces, floating and spinning in the air.

"You're not even fit to speak her name, you sick, sadistic freak!" Draco shouted into the growing wind. Things were now flying around the room, and he saw Hermione duck as a heavy, glass paperweight flew past her head. "You, who likes to torture small, helpless animals! God only knows what you've been doing to my Amee!"

Jasper was losing control. It was like he was not himself; something dangerous and unpredictable had taken over his body. He struggled to keep his violent thoughts in check. "Why don't we call dear Amee down and ask her what I've been doing to her?" he said. The wind had become silent, like they were in the eye of a hurricane, and the furniture was now lifting off the floor, hovering above the Persian carpet. Objects were hanging, suspended in the heavy air as if waiting for a command to attack.

A letter opener was swaying dangerously in the air in front of Draco's face, the sharp point aimed at his right eye. He blasted it out of the way with his wand, and Hermione screamed. "Amee isn't here, Jasper." Draco said with a grin. "She's left because of you."

Jasper lost his concentration, and everything in the room fell to the floor with a mighty crash. "Gone?" he asked in disbelief. "How do I know your not just saying that?" He didn't trust his grandfather, and as far as he was concerned, the old man was a devious bastard with lying capabilities that matched his own. He had seen him in action plenty of times. When it came to deceiving people, Draco Malfoy was the best.

"If you don't believe me, go and see for yourself."

Jasper glared at him and then turned and ran to Amee's room. They could hear him calling her name and begging her to come out.

"Has she really gone, Draco?" Hermione asked sadly.

"I'm afraid she has."

"But why?"

"She came to me after you and Jasper left for your walk. She was crying and begging me to help her. She said she needed to get away from him." He put his arm around his wife and pulled her close. "She was obviously very frightened, Hermione. Jasper has done something to her. I don't know what, but I know it was bad enough that she feared for her life."

Hermione was heartbroken. She thought that she had succeeded in changing Jasper and that he would never be the murderer that he was destined to be. She had catered to him his whole life, made sure that he was loved and well taken care of, and that he had everything he ever wanted. She was sure she had done a great job, and it was a shock to her that all her planning and careful rearing hadn't changed a damn thing. She had failed her daughter, and now she had failed her grandson.

What was the whole purpose of this time travel thing if not to change the future, make it better? It seemed to be a waste of time. She heard Draco's voice from long ago in Crete. "I think that even if we did tell them what horrors lie in their futures, it wouldn't matter; they would do it anyway. Why? Because it's meant to be, Granger, and no matter how hard you try to run from it, you can't change your destiny."

He was right. He was always right. There was one thing though; not only can't you run from your destiny, it seems that you were helpless to change it as well. She lifted her eyes to the ceiling as she heard Jasper screaming in frustration and anguish. "What are we going to do, Draco?"

Draco shook his head sadly. "I don't know. I just don't know."

***

Jasper tore through Amee's room, throwing clothing, furniture, perfume bottles, anything he could lay his hands on. She had left. She really was gone. Lifting up the picture she kept by her bedside, he glanced down at it. He saw himself smiling, his arm around Amee, who was laughing. He suddenly waxed furious and threw the frame across the room, where it hit the mirror and shattered it. He screamed at the top of his lungs and mentally 'pushed' with all he had. Every window in the house, every mirror, every breakable object exploded at the same time, showering its occupants with deadly shards of pottery and glass.

In the middle of Amee's room, Jasper stood, covered in bloody cuts, bits of glass covering him from head to toe. He would find her, no matter what it took; he would find her and make her pay for leaving him...but first, he was going to make his grandfather pay for helping her!

***

When the windows had exploded, Draco threw himself on top of Hermione, knocking them both to the floor. She was screaming as splinters, sharp as razor blades, cut her arms and legs. Draco winced as a huge piece of glass flew by, cutting him deeply on the back. In the kitchen, the house-elves ran for cover, hiding in cupboards as the marble tiles flew from the walls and the china exploded into a million pieces.

And then, suddenly, it was over, and it was quiet. Draco opened one eye and then the other. He saw nothing but glass and heard nothing but the dripping of alcohol from the edge of the bar.

Hermione lifted her head. "My God!" she said as Draco helped her to her feet.

"I know! It's going to cost a fortune to replace the windows!"

"Not the windows, Draco!" she said, her voice shaking. "Jasper!"

Draco whirled around, confused and spotted him in the doorway. He was covered in blood and looked absolutely crazy. "Jas..." was all he got out before he flew through the air and landed with a thud against the opposite wall.

"No!" Hermione screamed as Jasper lifted his wand.

"You're the reason my Amee left! You turned her against me!" he said, walking closer to Draco, who was rising groggily to his feet. He imagined his grandfather's leg snapping and smiled when the man screamed out in agony.

"I didn't turn her against you. You made her leave! It's all your fault, Jasper! You have no one to blame but yourself!" Draco said through a haze of pain. He screamed again as his other leg snapped and buckled beneath him. How the fuck was Jasper doing this? He wasn't using his wand!

"HOW DARE YOU SAY IT'S MY FAULT!" he screamed. "We're in love! She loves me, and she would never leave unless you talked her into it!"

Draco was stunned. "What did you say?"

Jasper was now so close, and as Draco lay on the floor, close to passing out, he whispered, "That's right, Grandfather. Amee and I were...are lovers. We have been for years. Does it shock you that you're precious Amee loved to fuck her own brother? That she fell in love with me and I with her?"

"You lie!" Hermione said. "It's not true!"

"Oh, I'm afraid it is," Jasper said, never taking his eyes off Draco. "We were going to run away together, but now YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!" He raised his wand, "I'm going to take much pleasure in killing you, grandfather. I never did like you. You interfering fuck! AVADA..."

Jasper was suddenly blasted off his feet. He spun around in the air and landed face down in the glass, unconscious. Hermione, her face a mask of pure determination, lowered her wand, stepped over his body and ran to Draco. He was out cold, his legs twisted oddly out of shape, his skin the color of cottage cheese.

"Draco?" she said, shaking him a bit. "Wake up." She slapped his cheek lightly; still no response. Closing her eyes, her shaky hand wrapped tightly around her wand, she began to heal him. Although she had not been a Healer for a number of years, having quit her job to look after Jasper and then never seeing the need to go back, she was still able to fix him up quite quickly and without the need for Skelegro.

He moaned, coming out of his dream where Hermione was again offered that damn glass of red wine. He thought crazily that maybe he should ban all wine from the house. Just as Sleeping Beauty's parents had tried to ban all spinning wheels from their kingdom. It would never work, because just like in the Fairy Tale, it was her destiny, and nothing, it seemed, could stop destiny. "Hermione?" he asked, slowly sitting up.

"I'm here, love," she said, kissing him.

"Where is Jasper? What happened?" His legs were aching, and his head was pounding relentlessly.

"I Stunned him. He's lying over there."

Draco got to his feet, and almost fell over, but managed to steady himself. "What do we do with him? We can't just let him stay here, Hermione."

"We get him help. Maybe there is hope for him."

"Get him help?" Draco said incredulously. "He needs to be locked up! He's tortured helpless animals, raped his sister and tried to kill me, and you think he can be helped?"

"Draco, he's our grandson."

"I don't give a fuck if he is or not! I don't want him anywhere near this house again! I'm going to contact the Ministry and have him sent away for the rest of his poor excuse of a life!"

"Please, Draco! Don't do this!" Hermione begged. "Can't we just send him to the hospital where Jade was? Maybe they can help him! I don't want to go through the rest of my life feeling guilty because we refused to do everything we could for him!" Plus, she still thought there might be some small chance she could do something about his future.

Draco walked over and looked down at Jasper. How could Hermione even think of trying to help this bastard after what he had done? She was a better person than he was! If it was up to him, he'd toss the unconscious prick down an abandoned well and call it a day! If only Hermione knew what this man was capable of...if she only knew that he was the man Draco suspected was going to murder her.

Hermione pleaded with him, and finally against his better judgment, he gave in. "Fine! We'll take him to the hospital and see what they say!" Hermione kissed his cheeks.

"Thank you. I know they'll be able to help him."

"I highly doubt they'll be able to, but I'm willing to give him one more chance...for you."

***

In the office, Draco and Hermione sat with the supervisor of the mental hospital. He was looking through his notes and tapping his quill on the table. "Is there mental illness on his father's side of the family?"

Draco and Hermione eyed each other uneasily. "Well, you see," Hermione said. "We don't really know. We never met his father."

The Healer looked at them over the top of his glasses. "I see," he said with a frown. "His mother was a patient here many years ago? How is she doing?"

"She's dead," Draco said simply. "She died giving birth to Jasper."

"So the young man has never met his father or his mother?" The Healer sat back in his chair, his fingers in a pyramid under his nose. "Tell me about the strange powers he has."

Draco told him about how he was able to hurt people with his mind and that he seemed to be able to do very powerful magic without the use of a wand. Hermione sat quietly when Draco spoke about the animals in the barn and how Amee had come to him and what she had said. He explained in great detail the events of the night before and that Jasper had tried to kill him.

The Healer just took notes, every once in a while glancing up, his face thoughtful. "During school, were there any incidents?"

"Not that we're aware of," Hermione said. "He did very well. Prefect, excellent marks on the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s..."

Shutting his notebook, the Healer stood and put his hands behind his back. "I will be quite frank with you; I've never seen a case like this, and I really can't make you any promises. We will do our best to study his situation, and hopefully, we can come up with a solution to his illness."

"Illness?" Draco asked. "So you think you might be able to cure him? That this isn't some genetic mutation that can't be helped?"

"Like I said, Mr. Malfoy, I've never seen anything like this. We will try to help him, and that's all we can do."

Draco and Hermione stood. "Of course you will. Thank you so much, Healer Barlow," Hermione said, shaking the man's hand graciously.

"I'll be in touch," Mr. Barlow said.

***

He did stay in touch. Every Friday, Healer Barlow sent a report on his findings and an update on how Jasper's therapy was going. He and his staff were in awe of Jasper's powers and were so fearful of them that they kept him sedated most of the time.

He made some progress, but it was slow. Draco went to Amee and brought her back home; she decided to find a job and try to forget that she ever even had a brother. There were nights when she would wake up in a cold sweat, dreaming of him saying he was going to kill her. There were other times that she found herself missing him. She had loved him, and she found it was hard to move on. Even though he was far away, he still had a hold on her.

***

Jasper had been institutionalized for almost ten years before he was allowed visitors. He was unstable and stubborn, refused help and starved himself until he was at death's door. Any time Amee's name was mentioned, he became so violent that they had to Stun him and medicate him to the point of him being comatose.

Finally, he realized that fighting the system was getting him nowhere, and he slowly began to cooperate by talking to his therapists, pretending he felt remorse and swearing he would change his ways. He used his charm and his great lying capabilities to fool them all.

The day came when he was allowed visitors. Hermione and Draco were terrified to see him, but they went, and to their astonishment, Jasper looked very healthy and normal. He apologized for his past behavior, and even said he had made some friends. He seemed happy...a little too happy for Draco's taste.

Hermione gushed with excitement when they got back home. She was sure Jasper was going to be released very soon. Draco, on the other hand, NEVER wanted his grandson to get out. He didn't believe for one second that Jasper was getting better. He was a master manipulator and a liar. He also felt that if he could keep him in the hospital until he died, then Hermione would escape her fate.

Things had gone back to normal...it was peaceful, and that was the way Draco wanted it. Amee had found herself a nice man, and Draco had it in confidence that the young man was going to propose soon. Why would he want Jasper to get out and ruin everything? No. He was going to stay put...end of story.

Amee loved her job at Gringotts and loved going to work every day. She also loved the fact that she worked alongside her boyfriend, Brian. It had taken him months to get her to even talk to him. Somewhere deep inside, she was still afraid that somehow Jasper was watching her, seeing everything she was doing. She didn't want to open her heart to anyone because she thought it would put them in danger.

Slowly, Brian brought her out of her shell. He started buying her coffee and trying to engage her in conversation. She was very shy at first, withdrawn, and even seemed a little sad. He had this silly romantic notion that she had suffered some sort of tragedy and needed to be rescued from her past. He intended to be the one to save her.

Amee found him to be a very kind, gentle and passionate lover. He never once said an unkind word to her or threatened her in any way. He made her feel safe, and to her that was very important. Her grandparents loved him and were very excited that she had found the love of her life.

When Brian asked her to marry him, she said yes without hesitation. For once, Amee was really and truly happy. She had a wonderful career, a loving husband to be...her future looked bright. All that was shattered in a single moment when she answered a knock at the door one morning and found Jasper standing there, grinning at her.

"H...How did you find where I live?" she asked, her heart pounding. "And when did they let you out?" She was trying to look calm, but inside she was screaming.

"Aren't you going to invite me in, Amee?" he said, flashing his most charming smile.

Amee wanted to slam the door in his face and Apparate to a jungle somewhere to hide. Instead, she found herself opening the door wider and letting him in. Shutting it behind her, she watched her brother walk around her flat, looking at photos and running his fingers over her things. 'God, please let this be a dream, please be a dream!' she repeated over and over in her head like a mantra.

"You have a very nice place," he said, picking up a very expensive vase next to the open window.

"Thank you," she said, getting a grip on her nerves. "I've only been here for a few weeks." She felt for her wand and panicked, remembering that she had left it in the bedroom on the night stand.

"Yes, I know," he said, placing the vase back on the table. "Grandmother told me you had finally moved out."

"She told you where I lived?" Amee suddenly had the urge to Floo Hermione and cuss her out.

"Not verbally, Amee, but I did pluck the information from her mind. It was right there waiting for me. She was trying so hard to not think about it..." He plopped himself down on her sofa and conjured himself a drink.

Amee studied him as he sat there, acting as if it had only been hours since he last saw her, not eleven years. He was still very handsome and did not appear to have aged very much. His raven hair was a little longer, and it fell to his crisp white collar, his bangs sweeping across his forehead. He was much paler, but still looked very healthy. He was wearing a very expensive suit, which was not surprising; he had always liked to dress well.

He looked up at her, his grey eyes the color of a cold, winter sky, and Amee shuddered. There was something missing behind those eyes. They were soulless eyes, dark pits of insanity. How could they set him free? Didn't they see what she saw?

"Something wrong, dear sister? I'm beginning to think you're not happy to see me," he said with a huge grin that reminded Amee of a barracuda. "Come! Have a seat; we have much to catch up on." He patted the cushion beside him, but Amee bypassed it and sat down in the farthest chair from him. He frowned slightly and then sipped his drink.

Amee struggled to find something to say. All she wanted was for him to go the hell away before Brian came home. She had, of course, told her fiancé that she had a brother, but failed to tell him that he was a crazy fuck that could hurt people with his mind. She was so afraid that Jasper would find out about him and fly into a jealous murdering rage. "So, why are you here?"

She regretted the question as soon as it left her lips. She wished she could take it back because she honestly didn't want to know the answer.

Jasper stood up and walked over to her. "I've come for what belongs to me, Amee." He ran his finger along her jaw line. She felt so soft! How long he had waited just to touch her! All those sleepless nights thinking about her, recalling every feature of her amazing body, fantasizing about making love to her again!

Amee wanted to scream, to jump up and run for her life, but she was paralyzed with fear. "What do you mean?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"You, my love." Jasper tangled his hands in her hair and leaned over, burying his face in her sweet smelling hair. "I've forgiven you for running from me. I understand now that you were frightened. I mean I was too! Starting over in a strange place, not knowing anyone! But, you needn't have feared, my love. I would have taken care of you, made sure you were safe." He was inhaling her scent, that scent that had haunted his damn dreams for years. "I've come to take you away with me. We can finally be together."

'God, he's crazier than I thought!' she said to herself. Her heart jumped as the front door opened and Brian came strolling in, a bouquet of red roses in his hand. He stopped dead in the doorway, his brows knitting together in confusion, his smile fading from his face.

Jasper stood slowly, his hand resting on Amee's shoulder possessively. "And who might you be?" he inquired.

Brian looked at Amee, whose huge, terrified eyes immediately told him something was desperately wrong. "I'm Brian. You must be Jasper." He had seen pictures of Amee's brother, but no one really talked about him. He had been told that he was ill and was off somewhere, getting well, and that was about it. Amee never mentioned him, which Brian thought weird, but perhaps they weren't that close.

Jasper didn't respond, but he did tighten his grip on Amee's shoulder, making her wince. He stared coldly at the intruder, sensing the unthinkable.

"I'm Amee's boyfriend." Brian saw Amee shake her head frantically, and her eyes were now the size of saucers. He was now totally confused. Why wouldn't she want her brother to know she was engaged? "What's going on here?"

"You never told me you were getting married," Jasper said in an accusing voice laced with venom.

"I... I wanted to but Gra..."

"But Grandfather told you not to," he finished for her. That old man had interfered for the last time. "This was his idea, wasn't it? Found you a new man, did he?" he laughed loudly. "He never could stand the thought of me being happy, could he? So he decided to take the one thing from me...the only thing I've ever cared about!"

"Jasper..."

Jasper let go of her shoulder, grabbed her arm and stood her up roughly. Brian dropped the flowers and raced towards her. Jasper simply lifted his hand and made slashing movements. Blood flew from his body, splattering Amee in the face. Brian looked down at his gaping wounds in shock and then fell to the floor. Amee screamed and twisted in her brother's grasp, trying desperately to get free. She scratched and bit and finally he let go.

She ran to Brian, throwing herself on top of him. He was pale white, and blood was pooling under him. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" she screamed. "Oh, my God! Brian?"

Jasper watched his sister crying hysterically over the body of her lover. "Will you just stop it? What does it matter if he dies? I'm here now!"

Amee turned her head and glared up at her smiling freak of a brother. "I fucking hate you! I never wanted to be with you. You make me sick!" she said, her voice quaking with anger. "Get out of my house; I never want to see you ever again, you MURDERER!"

Jasper took her by her hair and wrenched her up off the floor. "You little fucking whore!" he hissed, pulling her head back painfully. "I bet you were off sucking cocks the day I left, weren't you?" He pulled her back harder and she screamed in agony. "You belong to me, Amee. You seemed to have forgotten that." He pushed her as hard as he could, and she crashed to the floor, hitting her head on the corner of the table. "I'm going to give you a little reminder, dear sister. of what happens when you piss me off."

Amee's head was spinning; a ribbon of bright red blood trickled from the cut on her temple and fell beside her on the carpet. Her clothes were violently ripped from her body, and realizing what he was about to do, she struggled and screamed, kicked and punched. "No! Jasper! Please! Don't do this!"

"Shut up you fucking bitch and take your punishment!" Jasper hissed in her face. "You deserve every fucking bit of it!" He turned her over and smashed her face into the carpet so she couldn't breath.

Her world was suddenly full of nothing but pain as her brother raped and violated her. Sometime during the assault she blacked out, and when she came to, she was alone. Something was standing on her chest, and as her world came slowly back into focus, she saw it was an owl. In its beak was a letter addressed to her in her grandfather's neat writing.

She tried to get up. Her body felt bruised and broken and covered in blood and God only knew what else. The owl hopped down as she managed to sit up. She saw Brian's dead body lying a few steps away, and she started to sob uncontrollably, crawling over to him. He was cold to the touch, his glassy eyes staring up at the ceiling, seeing nothing.

The little owl hooted next to her, and she glanced down, taking the letter from its tiny, sharp beak. It then flew out the open window, managing to avoid knocking over the priceless vase.

Amee ripped the envelope open and then laughed hysterically. It was letting her know that Jasper was to be released that morning and to warn her that he might come after her. "Too late, Grandfather! Too late!" she said, looking around at the devastation her brother had caused.

***

Jasper sat in the corner of a dark and deserted pub that night, drinking pints and making plans. He wanted revenge. Revenge for the way he had been treated his entire life. Revenge for being sent away like some sort of mental incompetent...but most of all, he wanted revenge for having the thing he cared for most ripped from his very hands.

It was all his grandfather's fault...EVERYTHING! He had turned Amee against him, talked his grandmother into institutionalizing him, and now he was going to pay! He had lost the love of his life, and now his grandfather was going to lose his.