Dumbledore's Mistake

Dumbledore walked away from the dungeons having just locked Draco in one of the cells there. There was something about Draco's cocky manner that had disconcerted him and he felt the need to check on him every hour at least.

Draco looked around his new accommodation and smiled happily, he shouldn't be here too long. Dumbledore, the idiot, had not tied him up thinking the locked door was enough to hold him.

He snorted and pulled Remus' wand out of his sleeve. In all the confusion nobody had thought to remove this or even check if it was still missing. He had to work fast though Dumbledore would most definitely be coming back.

An hour later and Dumbledore made his way tiredly towards the dungeons. He had made Remus a promise and by Merlin he was going to stick by it. He descended the stairs slowly and proceeded down the candle lit corridor.

Turning the corner he looked down the cells and frowned, something didn't seem right. He walked briskly towards the end cell that he'd put Draco in. He felt his stomach plummet as he found the door swinging quite feely open and Draco was no where to be seen.

How? thought Dumbledore spinning round quickly. He shook his head as he made his way through the school quickly, there was no time to think about that now, he had to find Draco quickly.

He couldn't ask Remus for help, then he would know that Dumbledore had failed him. Dumbledore furrowed his brow…somebody who cares a lot about Harry and with the skill and motivation to recapture Malfoy. He rolled his eyes as the apparent answer popped into his head.

Ron and Hermione.

He rushed off quickly to the Gryffindor common room.

Ron and Hermione were sat in the common room in front of the fire. They weren't the only ones in there, at eleven o clock there was still Neville and Ginny to go to bed.

Hermione and Ron had been confined to the common room when they weren't in classes or eating for fear that they would run off to find Harry themselves, something that they both found extremely frustrating.

Knowing that Remus had been assigned to the case had been very comforting however, and the news that Draco had been found and was in the castle at this moment cheered them up even more.

They glanced up as they heard the portrait door open and exchanged confused expressions, they'd thought everybody was in already. They must have looked even more confused when they watched a very flustered Professor Dumbledore step in.

"Professor Dumbledore is something wrong," gasped Hermione standing up dragging Ron up behind her. Dumbledore looked quite sheepish,

"I've erm…lost Draco Malfoy," Well that sounded good, that was it now they'd have no respect for him at all.

Ron's eyes widened as Ginny and Neville came and stood next to Hermione.

"What do you mean lost?" ventured Ron.

"Exactly what it sounds like. I don't know how he escaped but he has and I need your help to find him," said Dumbledore hurriedly, there wasn't time for this.

"We'll help but what about Professor Lu…"

"I can't ask him, he'll murder me. I promised him I wouldn't let Draco get away." cut Dumbledore desperately. The teenagers nodded at him and followed him quickly outside.

Hagrid was dozing in his armchair when he started as he heard Fang growl lowly at the door. He hadn't heard anybody knock and stood up to look out of his window. He strained his eyes as he saw a figure darting across the lawn from Hogwarts.

He hurried out of his door, Fang close behind him. He knew that person, he's a pupil, or was a pupil. Draco Malfoy, but he was supposed to be in custody at the moment ready for questioning.

"Fang," he muttered to his faithful dog.

"I need yeh to follow 'im. Keep track o' i'm. I'll go fer Dumbledore." Fang gave a low growl in the back of his throat and set off at run behind Malfoy.

Hagrid grabbed his coat and made his way up to the school as quickly as possible.

Dumbledore had just reached the bottom of the stairs with Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville in tow when the doors burst open violently.

They froze momentarily stunned and watched for signs of movement outside. Hagrid raced through, his pink umbrella smoking slightly and he stowed it quickly inside his coat.

"What is it Hagrid?" said Dumbledore hurrying towards him.

"Malfoy…is…making…his…way…to…the…woods," he wheezed. Dumbledore's eyes lit up at this news and he turned to the students behind him.

"You heard him. Stick together and keep your eyes peeled." he said ushering them outside.

"Thank you Hagrid. Come with us will you?" he said graciously giving Hagrid a quick hug.

"O' course professor," muttered Hagrid and he set off after the students.

It was terribly dark in the forest and Hermione and Ron clung to each other, not wanting to light their wands incase they alerted Draco of their presence.

They couldn't allow him to escape, he was the key to finding Harry. Neville and Ginny had set off in a different direction to them in hopes of finding Draco quicker, if he got outside the school grounds he could apparate…then they'd never find him.

They searched for ages, fumbling against trees and groping on the floor feeling out for branches. Hermione had pulled a bowtruckle out of her hair at one point for which she' received a nasty bite.

Another time saw them hiding behind the trees as a group of centaurs passed them, not really wanting a confrontation about centaur rights.

When they had all but given up hope they heard a strangled yell from in front of them and rushed towards it.

"Lumos," Ron said quickly holding out his wand. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of extraordinary.

Draco was laid in the floor holding his arms up defensively and above him looking ready to strike was Buckbeak.

Hermione rushed forwards,

"Buckbeak no," she shouted.

Buckbeak glared at her, as she mentally kicked herself forgetting, she bowed low keeping eye contact. Buckbeak fixed her with his gaze and Hermione was on the point of thinking, back off would be a good idea.

But slowly Buckbeak bent one leg and inclined his head. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and rushed towards Buckbeak giving him a grateful pat, before turning and pointing her wand at Draco.

"Don't even think about doing anything," she said threateningly, Ron came up to her side.

"Granger let me…"

"Shut it," Ron cut across.

"But…but,"

"For Merlins sake. Stupefy," said Hermione stunning Draco quickly, why couldn't he just be quiet?

Not long after Draco was bound and magically bonded to a chair in Dumbledore's office.

"How did you do it? You were locked in," said Dumbledore incredulously.

Draco rolled his eyes and struggled with his hand. Dumbledore relented a finally freed one and to help him. Draco pulled out Remus' wand and held it out to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore breathed in deeply and took the wand looking at carefully.

"Is this…?"

"The werewolf's. Took it when he was incapable of stopping me, and nobody took it back," answered Draco shortly.

Dumbledore stared at Draco wth a very serious face, and his tone of voice matched his face when he spoke next.

"You will be questioned tomorrow and would advise you to call him Lupin or Professor Lupin if you want to survive," finished Dumbledore walking towards his own chambers at the rear of the room.

Harry woke up early that morning and glanced around. His gaze settled on his old professor. He was still asleep and they'd covered him up as usual after he'd gone to sleep last night.

As the sun hit him Remus stirred and shivered before sitting up slowly and stretching. These post transformation aches weren't getting any easier, it was still agony the day after.

He started as he heard movement from behind him and turned quickly wincing at the sudden movement.

"That must really hurt afterwards," said Harry sympathetically. Remus smiled grimly,

"It's easier than it was," he lied, yawning behind his hand. Harry frowned at him.

"Do you think Wormtail's ok?" murmured Remus. Harry shrugged. He didn't really care at the moment.

"I didn't do anything weird last night did I?" asked Remus casting Harry a sideways frown, he was watching the door after hearing noise outside.

"No not really just changed looked at us for a while and went to sleep…we covered you," Harry added as an afterthought. Remus smiled at him.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he pulled his robes round his shoulders and fastened the front hastily.

Both jumped as the door clicked open nearly five minutes later. Harry shifted closer to Remus and Remus grasped his hand tightly. Peter emerged in the doorway.

"Peter," said Remus breathlessly. "You're alive,"

Peter shifted uncomfortably and shrugged pulling out his wand.

"Peter…?" Remus asked in a familiar sounding way to the Leaky Cauldron visit.

"I'm sorry," was all Peter managed before pointing his wand and stunning Harry and Remus.