Disclaimer: I own nothing… pouts
Warning: Hufflepuff bashing… somewhere in here there is insane McGonagall-ness … unmm I believe I have some slash coming up soon… maybe… -
Chapter 4
Shortly after Draco fled the dungeons, sweet sleep claimed the fatigued golden boy. He slept huddled in a damp corner, bloodied and bruised, his last thoughts being of hopelessness.
Several floors up, Draco turned the book over and over in his hands, admiring the simple but elegant design. He fingered the metal embellishments that graced the corners; they came to a point that with little difficulty could slice one's hands to bits. He figured that they had already served this purpose for one of the upper corners was covered in a sticky red substance that he would have bet anything was blood.
A pecking noise at the window caught his attention, and the book was discarded onto a near by table. Across the room, the pecking continued. Draco opened the window and a very perturbed looking owl flew inside, causing him to duck in order to avoid being hit. Landing haughtily on the back of a chair, the owl extended its leg presenting an equally stuffy looking letter.
Like his father's, the envelope was sealed with wax, but instead of a family emblem there simply was an 'x'. The paper was black, so much so that his pale hands seemed to glow next to it. He broke the seal and unfolded the letter. For a moment the page was blank and his eyes scanned over it twice before noticing opalescent white letters unfurling themselves across the page. The script was sloppy and didn't do the ink justice but wrote out a message none the less.
Draco Malfoy,
Information is power, both of us are well aware of that fact. While I know many many things about you, I am nothing more than letters on a page to your knowledge, so let's agree I have the upper hand here. Your father is away, leisure, business, grocery errands? Whichever it may be he'll be missing some excitement, which will leave you all alone for a little visit from some friends of mine. You'll have a big decision to make; convert, or die. Your choice, and from what I hear you'll choose well.
See you soon,
-X
The note was not signed other then X. He read it again before crumpling it up and destroying it with an Incendio. Draco was fuming; what the hell was this. Did someone already know about what he'd said? His mind was in a twick, whirling rapidly. Of course father was having the dungeons monitored, some one knows.
The House Elves had no information for Draco about who might have heard, and knew nothing of where the owl might have come from. He scoured the house after that for hours; searching for hidden surveilance of some sort. At one point he had even gone back to the dungeon to see if he could find anything there. The blackness won out though, all he found was Harry curled up and asleep. Spurred on by curiosity, he continued well into the night. Complete and unwavering exhaustion was what he received a hundred fold as payment for his labors. This lack of energy was what caused him to trudge back up to his room and give up for the time being, sleep soon claimed him. That night Harry's screams were absent.
Many miles away and several short hours later Lucius Malfoy was receiving a letter.
Lucius Malfoy,
I have been informed from an inside source that a search of your house that will soon take place. In order to preserve your innocence and possessions I advise you to apparate home immediately, I will explain later.
-Severus.
As suggested Lucius promptly collected his wife and left for home without delay. They arrived home in a flurry. He ordered Narcissa to hide the more incriminating objects while he took care of Draco and his special project.
Draco was awoken with a start when his father burst into his room and began shouting out plans.
"Draco, I need you to wake up right now. Our home is soon to be searched. Take everything you don't wish discovered. Go down to the dungeons. Are you listening Draco-"
Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, groggily, Draco broke into his fathers on going speech, "Yes father."
But, Lucius continued on as if he hadn't asked a question, "You will find a boy down there-" he roughly grabbed at Draco's shirt while talking, and pulled it forward. "- He's in a cell on the back wall on the west side-" A necklace was pulled from inside Draco's shirt and grasped forcefully. "-this will take you to the outer grounds of Hogwarts-" Lucius withdrew his wand and without wasting time to carefully handle the fragile pendant practically shouted out a spell. "Take the boy with you. Tell whomever you meet that you rescued him. They will inquire as to where, I want you to make something up. The Portkey will be activated with your house name; I don't know how much time you have." With that, Lucius stood and began running, or more, briskly walking, toward the door. "Hurry!" he shouted as he left the room.
Draco blinked a few times in shock, not entirely believing any of that had just happened. But his shirt was still disheveled and his necklace was pulled out. He lifted the small silver charm and smiled in memory as he examined it. He noticed surprisingly that he was still in his clothing from yesterday, and he glanced around the room trying to recall his father's directions, "-Take everything you don't wish discovered-." His eyes landed on the book he had taken from Harry, he grabbed it and a winter cloak, his bags still packed from school, he shurnk them and stuffed them in his pocket, then began sprinting rather clumsily toward the dungeons.
Outside of his room the whole of the house was frantic; House Elves scurrying everywhere, his father shouting orders and spells, and his mother shrieking at the poor little elves who weren't working to her satisfaction. Draco made it into the dungeons without trouble though, and this time when he went in search of his father's prisoner he knew where to go, which significantly cut down on the time it took to find him.
The stone floor was still slick with something he couldn't identify. Harry was still curled, in a way that Draco guessed to be quite uncomfotable, in a tight ball in the corner.
With practiced ease, Draco pulled his wand from its pocket within his cloak and unlocked the barred entrance to the cell. He stepped into the still, blood bathed room, then lit his wand and crossed to the boy. As he crouched down next to him he could see how battered Harry truly was; it was rather horrifying in all honesty.
When Draco grabbed ahold of his arm, Harry didn't stir. When Draco pulled out his necklace and whispered, "Slytherin," Harry didn't so much as flinch. When the Portkey activated and they landed in front of Hogwarts Harry hit the ground with an ominous thud, but didn't move.
He no longer lay in a small curled up ball, but on his back with a purpley bruised face to the sky; eyes closed and his mouth open slightly. After Draco straightened himself and took notice of his surroundings he saw Potter, and he'd never seen the boy like this before. He was broken, helpless, and it worried Draco. Where was the defiant strong adversary from several months ago? He became aware of Harry's lack of movement and became even more concerned, if this was his only chance of escaping the wrath of the Dark Lord, he wasn't about to let it die out here in the snow.
From the Headmasters office, a reserved old woman with rectangular glasses and a long, pointed nose began throwing a fit. "Oh my lord, Albus, do you see this? Two people just landed just off grounds, ALBUS!" Minerva McGonagall spilled tea down her front.
Calmly with a wry smile Dumbledore replied, "Yes, I know."
"How can you know? You can't see out the window!" She was screeching as if these people were in violation of everything she stood for, "We don't even know who they are! Aren't you worried?"
"No."
She then rounded on him, "No! No? We could be under attack! Don't just sit there!" She waved her arms frantically trying to get her point across.
"Settle down Minerva. It's just young Mister Potter and young Mister Malfoy; Nothing to worry about. Severus and Poppy are waiting for them at the entrance."
"Potter! Albus Dumbledore, have you gone mad? What would Harry and a Malfoy be doing together?" She was nearly standing on top of the old man now; staring down at him looking as angry as Snape was greasy.
"Really Minerva, we aren't under attack, we have nothing to worry about." He then continued with a smirk and a twinkle in his eyes, "Also, please allow me to reassure you, Harry has much to do with Draco Malfoy."
"Oh my goodness Albus, ALBUS, I think he's carrying Harry-"
"That would make sense, seeing as they both just came from Malfoy manor."
In a voice that was very reminiscent to a squawking bird she exclaimed, "WHAT?"
END CHAPTER FOUR