AU: Thanks for the couple of reviews last chapter :) And thanks to guest, since I couldn't send out a thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it so much! Thank you for the review!

This isn't a super long chapter, but I got it updated fairly quickly this time. I have to split my time up between this story and another Draco story I'm writing called To be a brother. Fell free to check it out :)


Ron, Harry, and Ginny gathered in a group and apparated to the home where Neville and his wife currently resided. Ever since they'd left the Leaky Cauldron, the Longbottoms had lived just outside of town. Strong wards were supposed to protect the home while Neville was away at Hogwarts, however Harry couldn't be sure that the wards would hold up when even his own, stronger wards hadn't. The minute they arrived, Harry's stomach dropped as he saw that, indeed, the wards had fallen.

Hermione was fighting valiantly against five of the 'Death Eaters' along with Neville's wife Hannah. Malfoy and the children were not visible, but perhaps they were inside the house. A few moments later, Neville stepped out of the house, his face first confused, then horrified. He went to stand beside his wife, clearly asking her something, and she gave a quick reply before shooting a curse at one dark cloaked man who had nearly sneaked past her and Hermione. Then, Neville joined the line and helped to hold back the advancing 'Death Eaters'.

"Come on," Harry told Ron and Ginny, and they hurried to join the rest of their allies.

"Harry, they followed us! I don't know how!" Hermione told Harry in between curses. "We're still a little outnumbered; what do we do?"

"I'll keep thinking. You don't have the slightest idea of how they followed us? None at all?"

"Well," Hermione hesitated, and Harry nodded.

"I'm afraid I'm thinking the same thing. What do we do if they do have a track?"

"I can't get rid of it, if that's what you're hoping. This magic keeps things hidden. I won't be able to stop them from tracking us, if I'm with you."

"Could someone please tell me what in the world is going on here?" Neville shouted, and Harry sighed.

"Look, I'll tell you, but please just try to put up a shield and hold them off a little longer. I have to talk to Hermione."

Neville glared daggers at Harry, but he complied as Harry and Hermione dashed away from the fighting.

"Alright, they can't have a track on Draco. I know, I checked."

"Hermione, if they don't have a track on Draco…."

"He said they'd hunt me down; he was right. When I cured him, I think the track that was supposed to be his, became mine."

"Then we're screwed. If they can track you, then they can follow us anywhere."

"They can follow me anywhere, but if I'm not with you-"

"Hermione, don't be ridiculous."

"No, listen, I have a plan. Ron won't agree with it, but this could actually work to our advantage."

"How so?" Harry glanced up at the fight. Things appeared pretty even, but Harry's friends would get tired soon, and they were outnumbered approximately three to one.

"If you start tracking me, and I go with them, then you can find Scorpius."

"Hermione, no, that's ridiculous. They get their hands on you, who knows what they'll do."

"No, listen Harry. They want Malfoy, obviously, and they're using Scorpius as bait. If they have more people that they think Malfoy cares about, they'll think he's more likely to come. If we just hand Malfoy over to them, it's likely they'll kill Scorpius. However, if they get a hold of someone else that they think they can use as bait, they'll keep both people alive and have double the incentive for Malfoy to try and come save the hostages. If you are tracking me, I can lead you right to Scorpius."

"Hermione, there's no way we're going to convince them that Malfoy cares about you. Especially under these circumstances."

"I beg to differ. We can make it seem as if he cares about me, especially under these circumstances. If we can get him to take a curse for me, that'll be about as much proof as we can offer up."

"Hermione, we're not going to be able to get him to take a curse for you. It isn't going to happen. I don't think he'd do that, even if it is his son's life on the line, no offense. He's just not the type to give himself up like that."

"Look, they'll keep targeting all of you, including Hugo and Lily. This is a surefire way to get all of you out of danger. Come on, put a tracking spell on me."

"Hermione, it won't work. You're right about the hostage thing, though; they do seem to be using Scorpius as a hostage to get to Draco. Look, if we try, I'm sure we can find a way to get the spell off of you."

"Wait, Harry look. One of them is talking! And, oh Harry, look!"

Harry turned to see that one of the dark cloaked people had stepped forward and had his hands up in surrender. A hood completely hid his face in shadow, though Harry suspected that he was wearing a mask like all the others. Under his foot was a wand which, should he put his weight on that foot, would surely break. Staring purposefully at the wand was Ron, who was wandless. The hooded man held his own wand to his mouth, and he used it like a microphone. Pricking his ears, Harry listened to what he had to say.

"We are aware," the man was saying. "That there are children inside. We are also aware that inside this house is who we seek: Draco Malfoy. Should you wish to surrender Draco Malfoy, we'll leave with no more trouble caused to you. We don't want any more fighting, we'll leave peacefully. Should you continue to fight us, you might find us much less agreeable."

Harry was silent, observing the situation with a frown.

"Harry, what do you think? If we attack..."

"They definitely break his wand," Harry finished.

"Draco Malfoy," the man speaking called toward the house. "Should you come out peacefully, we will consider allowing your son to be released. Should you not, well I have a connection established with the person guarding your son. He won't be pleased that you didn't come out out willingly."

"What's he doing," Hermione nodded toward the door, her voice low, and Harry's mouth dropped. Malfoy stood at the door, leaning heavily against the door frame. Then he stepped out of the house. Everyone scrutinized him, shocked when he continued to march toward the line of 'Death Eaters', his face entirely void of emotion.

"He's not actually turning himself in, is he?" Harry stared. "Is he insane?"

Everyone appeared to be shocked, but no one looked quite as shocked as Ron. The red head's brows were knitted together, his eyes were ridiculously wide, and his mouth was drawn into such a frown that it was almost comical.

"Ah, good choice," the man nodded slowly. "Come, Mister Malfoy, so you can be reunited with your son."

For a moment, Draco recoiled from the sickeningly smooth, imperial, unsettling voice, but then he swallowed and stepped past the line of his protectors. The hooded man nodded to his left, and two other dark cloaked people ran forward, grabbing onto Draco's arms. Glancing up, Draco searched for Harry's face and when his eyes met Harry's he shot a purposeful look at the brunet. Immediately Harry understood, and his blood ran cold. He expected Harry to follow him- to save both him and his son. Then, in seconds, the whole group apparated away, Draco disappearing from sight. However, his silent message was clear to Harry.

'You said you'd stick with me and save my son,' the look had said. 'Now keep that promise. Come after me, don't anything bad happen. After all, you're the bloody golden boy; it's what you do.'

The yard was silent for a moment, and then Ginny ran into the house to find Lily and Hugo while Neville blinked, clearly shocked.

"Was that Malfoy? Was that Draco Malfoy? What was that about his son? Who were those people? Why were they here?"

"Yes, that was Draco Malfoy," Ron nodded slowly, stopping to pick up his wand and cradling it gently. "It was."

"Why were those people here? Who are they?" Neville repeated. "I have to get back to Hogwarts; I only got permission to aparate because the school was notified that my house was being attacked. I'd like to know who I was being attacked by before I leave, however."

"It's a long story," Hermione said. "I guess I can tell you in a moment. First, though, Harry, what do we do? They'll kill him and his son. What do we do? Why would he do that? Why would he make that sacrifice?"

"Because he knows I'll come after him," Harry spoke slowly. "I put a tracking spell on him earlier, and he knows it. He expects me to save them."

"You have a tracking spell on him?" Ron glanced up, a look of hope on his face.

"Yes I do. You want to help me save him?"

"Well, even though he had selfish reasons for saving my wand, it'd be cracked in two if it weren't for that weasel," Ron hesitated as his eyes gravitated to his wand. "I'll come along."

"Now," Hermione turned to the impatient Professor Longbottom. "I'll explain everything while Harry plans. Can we go inside?"

Neville nodded and lead them in. Sitting, Hermione explained the recent events, and Neville swallowed hard.

"I hadn't realized that's what happened to Scorpius. He's a good student. One of the most brilliant first years I've had; and he's actually nice to his fellow classmates, though he's a bit quiet and antisocial. I was sad to see him go, but I figured he'd been transferred."

"That's what we all figured," Hermione nodded.

It was then that Ginny came in with Lily and Hugo who appeared quite shaken from recent events.

"You alright?" Harry asked his daughter, who nodded.

"Yeah. Mr. Malfoy hid us in a broom closet so we couldn't be found and he told us not to go out until someone came to get us, but it was dark."

"I'm glad you're both alright," he smiled slightly. "Now, Ron and I are going to go after Malfoy, but unless we can stop them from tracking you, Hermione, I don't think you can come. They would know we were at their hideout, wherever that may be."

"I can look through books, but as I've said, this magic is different than anything I've read about. It'll take me too long to find a counterspell for you to wait until I've found one. If I stay here, though, they might come after me."

"I'm going to fire call the school and tell them the situation. Maybe I can do something to help if they understand what's going on," Neville spoke up.

"I'll help look for a counterspell," Ginny told the others. "And they already know where this place is now. Whether you're here or not, they might come after you. We're probably safer if we just stay together."

"We shouldn't stay long, it's keeping us from rescuing the Malfoy's. I think we should begin tracking Draco right now, so we have some idea what kind of place we're up against," Harry told Ron.

"Alright, I'm with you. I'm ready to leave."

"I'll take care of the children while Hermione and Ginny look for counterspells," Hannah promised.

"They said I could have a leave of absence of five days maximum unless something else is to occur," Neville entered the room.

"I think someone should visit Malfoy Manor and see what is happening there," Harry told Neville. "Would you be up to it?"

"Visiting Malfoy Manor? Well, I mean, I suppose. You don't think going there could be trap, could it?"

"No, I don't think so, and I think we need to get as much information from his parents and wife about what they know about this situation as possible."

Neville hesitated before nodding slowly.

"Fine, I'll go to Malfoy Manor the moment you leave."

Harry nodded, turning to Ron.

"Okay," he said. "Let's grab broomsticks and follow Malfoy. Fly low, and try not to get spotted."

"I'm right behind you," Ron told Harry, and smiled at his friend.

Then the two left the Longbottom's house, Harry leading the way through a forest and towards wherever the Malfoy father and son were being held.


Scorpius had been curled in a tiny ball trying to get warm when Prenn was replaced with Killibard. Before Prenn had left, he sent a warming spell at Scorpius, so he wasn't shivering as much as he had been, but just glancing over at Killibard made Scorpius want to shiver. At first, Scorpius was ignored, but after a while Killibard put down the book he'd been reading and began to scrutinize the blond.

"So," he spoke. "You go to Hogwarts, like Prenn. Why didn't you get put in Slytherin like him?"

"I don't know," Scorpius mumbled.

"Speak up," Killibard snarled, and Scorpius quickly repeated his answer more loudly.

"Prenn says you have to be crafty to go into Slytherin. You think you're not crafty?"

"I'm not sure," Scorpius gulped.

"Your father wasn't crafty enough to be a true Slytherin. Everyone knows what a failure your father is."

Scorpius blinked, gulping again. A reply danced on the tip of his tongue, but he kept quiet.

"A failure who couldn't manage to complete one mission, no matter how hard he tried. Your father was just a pathetic failure, and that's all. How does it feel to know your father was such a sad, worthless failure?"

"My father is not a failure," Scorpius finally retorted, and Killibard's eyes glowed.

"What?" Killibard asked slowly, his grin malicious.

"Nothing," Scorpius shook his head, staring at his hands and trying to ignore the fact that Killibard's wand tip glowed with a dangerous looking spell.

"No, say that again," Killibard commanded, but just as Scorpius dared raise his eyes, his gaze fell upon people entering the room. Immediately Killibard stepped back, slipping his wand into the back pocket and bowing before the people entering. There were four cloaked figures, and then Scorpius saw someone among the group that made his heart race.

"Father?" he gasped, and Draco's gaze snapped to see his son in the cell.

Draco didn't say anything out loud, however his mouth formed his son's name, just before he was tossed into a cell next to Scorpius. Immediately Scorpius hurried closer to his father, glancing back and forth between Draco and the others.

"Father?" Scorpius asked again, but Draco shook his head at his son.

"It'll be alright, Scorpius," Draco hesitated. "But just stay quiet for now."

"Touching," the man with the smooth voice stepped forward, "Father and son reunited."

"Who are you and what do you want with us?" Draco stood up.

"I only want anything with you," the man glanced at Draco from under his hood.

"Then let my son go."

"We shall see," the person replied.

"Who are you," Draco repeated forcefully.

"Call me... Vin."

Draco's frown increased.

"Vin?" he asked.

"Yes, call me that," Vin nodded from under his hood.

Draco's skin prickled with unpleasant connections, however he pushed his macabre thoughts aside.

"So," Vin continued to speak smoothly. "I think I'll allow you and your son to get reacquainted. You have one hour before my fellow Death Eaters and I return."

"Let my son go!" Draco repeated, his voice enraged. "I came here; you said you'd let him go."

"We shall see," Vin gave a bone chilling chuckle. "We shall see."


AU: Please review! The reviews help me to know where to take the story and what I plan to do; so please tell me what you think of the action that has happened!

Thanks again to the people who reviewed last time :)