Ch 2 – An unpleasant surprise.
Harry wandered back down the street, where he was walking up with Hermione ten minutes ago. He was very embarrassed because of the way he walked out, but he was also angry, due to the fact that Hermione was keeping this secret from Harry for weeks or even months. He wouldn't have minded if Hermione got the dentist job before she accepted the Auror job.
Harry turned the corner and made his way down the next street. He was so spaced out that he hardly noticed the tall, pale, blonde-haired boy, about the same age as Harry lying on the street with a thin blanket around him. The boy just stared at Harry with an amazed face on him, while Harry was strolling passed him. The boy watched Harry walk to the end of street, then he got up. He ran to the end of the street. Could it really be him? the boy thought to himself. Could it really be Harry Potter?
The boy watched Harry walk down the rest of the other street. Then, he saw another boy with red hair, crash into Harry. Chips flew everywhere in the air and Harry and Ron landed on the ground. The boy examined the red haired boy and thought to himself. Is that really Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend? The boy ran up the street a bit and hid behind a bush. He was close enough to hear them speak.
"What are you doing out here, Harry?" Ron said, quizzically, "Why aren't you up at the apartment with Hermione? I have… I mean had chips.
The boy was shocked. The three friends that were so heroic at that war three years ago, are still together. The boy shook his head to see if this was really happened. He turned around and listened on.
"Oh, Hermione and I had an argument," Harry said. He explained what had happened in the apartment.
"Why don't we go back to the apartment and try to sort this out? I don't think Hermione tried to hurt you. She just got the job at an inconvenient time, that's all."
"You're right let's go."
A few moments before that, the boy had disappeared.
Ron was right, Harry thought. Hermione did get the message at an inconvenient time. Harry dipped his hands in his pockets. He stopped. He began rummaging through his pockets for something. Ron noticed and turned back to Harry.
"Harry. What's the matter?"
"I lost the letter that was sent to me by Uncle Vernon."
"You might have left it in the apartment. Let's check inside."
Harry and Ron entered the apartment building, climbed the stairs and reached the apartment door.
"Have you got your keys? I haven't.," said Ron.
"Nope"
Ron knocked at the door and waited for an answer. There wasn't one. He knocked again. Still, no answer. Harry drew his wand, looked around to see if nobody was around and muttered, "Alohomora". The door clicked and unlocked itself. Harry turned the handle and entered the room. It was pitch black.
"Hello? Is anybody there? Hermione?"
Harry groped his way around along with Ron, and flicked the switch. No lights came on. "Lumos," Harry said, and the whole room lit up. Harry turned around to his surprise, to see a pale looking boy sitting on the sofa, with a wand and Hermione tied up beside him. However, Harry and Ron could recognize from his appearance…… that it was Draco Malfoy.
Hermione was struggling to get free, while muffling the words, "Helph mees". Malfoy turned to Hermione and punched her in the cheek and the ribs. She immediately collapsed in a heap in the ground, blood pouring out of her mouth. Harry and Ron moved towards her, but Malfoy held his wand to them. "Move another step further, and your friend here will be dead before you can say die," Malfoy said. "Put your wands on that table. No actually, Accio Wands!" The wands escaped from Harry and Ron's pocket and landed beside Malfoy.
"What are you doing here Malfoy!" Harry shouted, his teeth gritting in anger.
"Well, if you want to keep your address secret, trying holding your items in more convenient places."
Malfoy held up a letter saying:
Mr Harry J Potter
106 Crandlewade Street
London
England
It was Harry's letter from Uncle Vernon. He must have dropped in the street and Malfoy found it. That's how he found out his address.
"I think he has your letter, Harry," Ron muttered to Harry.
"You think?" Harry replied, sarcastically.
Ron put his head down in embarrassment, which made his cheeks go as red as his hair.
"You have no right to be here, Malfoy!" Harry roared.
"Oh, I have every right, Pothead," Malfoy said calmly. "I have some unfinished business. Do you want to know where I was yesterday.
"Not particularly," Harry said.
"Tough! I went to the graveyard yesterday. Try to guess who I was visiting.
"Hmmm… that's a toughie… could it be your Father," Ron said, sneeringly.
"That's no laugh, Weaselbee. Seeing that you, Pothead and Grangenerd here killed him."
"It was self-defence. He was going to kill us. He deserved it!" Ron shouted, after forgetting his embarrassment.
"No man deserves to die," Malfoy said.
"Voldemort didn't think so anyway," Harry remarked, "He would practically kill anyone he saw. And you would always have been there by his side. Well, not anymore, because he's gone, and gone for good."
"How dare you insult, Lord Voldemort!"
Malfoy made a grab for Harry and started strangling him. Ron ran to his wand, and just as he was picking it up, Malfoy used his free hand and shouted, "Crucio". Ron flew in the air, bashed his head against the corner wall and fell unconscious. Malfoy continued to strangle Harry. Harry's face was turning a reddish-purplish colour and was so close to dying, until he heard the door burst open behind him and someone shouting "Avada Kedavra". The curse whooshed past Harry, hit Malfoy and Malfoy flew out the window. Harry waited a few moments then heard a Splat. Harry turned around to see who his saviour was. It was Luna Lovegood. Her face was pale and white. She said, "What have I done?", then fainted.
Harry stood there, stiff as a board, staring at the person who had just killed Draco Malfoy.