A/N I'm back loyal readers! The next chapter I think is great. Do review and say so if you have any views on it. No one has as of yet reviewed to my previous chapter so if anyone did have any opinions on Draco's patronus I'd be delighted to hear them. Anyway, enough of that, let's get to it...
Chapter 35 - Apples and Eagles
"Come on!" Draco shouted back at the three Gryffindors straggling behind him. They followed him, jogging up to the castle, sweat braking out across their foreheads. "Get the cloak on once we reach the door, you can't be seen by anyone!" Ginny hissed to Harry who was beside her. He nodded and took the cloak which Ginny had just accioed out of her bag.
They reached the large oak doors and Harry and Ron threw the cloak over themselves. Once making sure that their feet weren't noticeable under the cloak, Draco heaved at the door, pulling it open and letting Harry, Ron and Ginny slip through before hurriedly tiptoeing through himself. "McGonagall doesn't know where we are and since the cloak won't fit all of us, I suggest I go up to the dorm to get the others whilst you Ginny go and get your order gang together. Potter, see you in the Room of Requirement in twenty," Draco said in an undertone to everyone before nodding and hurriedly making his departure up the marble staircase taking each step two at a time. After a quick nod to where she presumed Harry and Ron where, Ginny turned down a passage that would lead her to the Hufflepuff dorms, highly doubting anyone would still be eating lunch as it was nearing third lesson. "Now we're taking orders from him?" Ron asked, unconvinced.
"Something like that, yeah," Harry agreed and they made their way up to the seventh floor, very awkwardly compared to when they were first years using the cloak for the first time. Ron looked sideways at Harry and grinned, then said, "It's good to be back."
Draco flung himself round the corner on the third floor corridor, making his way towards him dorm at a run. "Spero!" He said loudly, thrusting his hand into the waterfall. After a telling 'click', the portrait swung open and Draco stepped into the room, smirking at the three, shocked faces, who were staring at him. "You did it then?" The Slytherin girl asked.
"Obviously," Draco smirked, "Went to the most top secret place I've heard of, got blindfolded, got flown around by a bird, found Potter and the Weasel, had a fight and even cast a patronus to get rid of the dementors who were totally gonna suck the living daylights out of Potter and Weasel. So, Ginny's rounding up Potter's little army, Potter and Weasel are waiting for us in the Room of Requirement, you joining us? And yeah, that will mean busting into my house, possibly the most well guarded building, after Hogwarts, to get Granger out. You don't have to, don't think I'm pushing you into this." The three of them stared, open mouthed at Draco.
"You cast a patronus?" Blaise asked, unbelievingly and utterly impressed.
"What form did it take?" Theo asked.
"An eagle," Draco smirked. There was a loud mewing sound from the corner of the room and they all turned to see a giant ginger ball of fluff. The ball moved and a head protruded from it, followed by four legs and a tail as it stretched out. "Awe cute kitty," Pansy cooed as Draco looked at it in revolt.
"Stupid cat," he scowled. It arced its back.
"You're still alive then," Pansy smirked, redirecting her attention to Draco, "Blaise you owe me five galleons."
"Yeah well I knew he'd come back didn't I," Blaise scoffed, rummaging around in his pocket for the gold.
"I'm in," said Theo definitely.
"If its for Hermione then yeah, I'm in too," Pansy agreed. They all turned to Blaise, who was twiddling his thumbs, having given Pansy the gold.
"Ah sod it, it'll be a blast," Blaise said, stretching, "Yeah totally, I'm in."
They all left through the portrait hole, one by one, Draco in lead. "The room of requirement?" Pansy clarified once they'd reached the staircase.
"Yep, but Harry's little gang don't know about us yet. Oh and no one knows about me and Granger and it's going to stay that way," Draco added.
"Well this is going to be fun," Blaise grinned.
"Totally," Theo added, sneaking a sideways grin at his best mate. Blaise grinned back. Pansy jogged a little to catch up with Draco and asked, "So remind me why we are walking so quickly?"
"Because I don't want to waste any time. She's been in there for nearly twenty four hours! The sooner we get this sorted the better!" Draco retorted. No one needed clarification on knowing who 'she' was. If his closest friends knew anything, it was when to not disturb or infuriate Draco and now was not the time to press the problem at hand.
Theo nearly tripped over Mrs. Norris who let out a shriek as they clambered up the second flight of steps, fast approaching the fifth floor. Swinging themselves around the corner, cloaks swishing behind them, they prayed that the faithful cat wouldn't call upon her master, Filtch. Instead, upon reaching the sixth floor, they slowed down, breathing hard. When Draco looked up again, he saw Snape striding past them. They made brief eye contact in which Draco nodded and Snape nodded back, saying barely audibly, "One and a half days," before he had swept past them.
"What was that about?" Pansy asked Draco once Snape was out of earshot, looking at him as they climbed the last set of stairs.
"That's the time we've got before Snape goes to McGonagall about this. We had to tell him," Draco said quickly, a determined look planted firmly on his face. Again, none of his friends questioned this. What would be the pint anyway. Waste of time, waste of energy. They needed to save all the time and energy they could if they wanted to help Hermione.
Once the four of them had reached the top of the staircase, they stoped for the smallest of breathers. Theo and Blaise were panting, Pansy breathing hard, Draco looking around wildly. In front of him, he could see two Ravenclaws walking towards the blank wall concealing the secret doorway to the Room of Requirement. Draco thought he recognised one of them as Luna Lovegood with her swirls of blonde locks. "You know they won't all be comfortable with the fact we're here," Theo said, also looking at the Ravenclaws. Draco looked at him as if he were insane.
"And you think I care? They're just here for support or whatever. We don't need them," Draco said coldly, "If they have a problem then they'll have to deal with it as will you three, for Granger's sake. I've already made truce with Potter," Draco added, grinning. Pansy's jaw dropped, Blaise smirked whereas Theo just nodded and the four Slytherins made their way to the stone wall which the Ravenclaws had just disappeared through.
"Hate to brake it to you mate, but we've stopped at a wall," Blaise pointed out to Draco, who ignored him.
"Stand back," he said and the three others stood back as one. Draco turned away from it and began to pace. "Mate what -" Blaise began.
"Shh!" Both Pansy and Theo whispered loudly, Pansy elbowing him. Blaise fell silent and watched as Draco continued pacing, face screwed up in courage and slowly, incredibly, the large wooden door materialised in front of their eyes. Blaise whooped and Theo clapped Draco on the shoulder, Pansy smiling in appreciation at her friend. Draco grinned and said, "Well, here goes nothing," before putting his force against the door and pushing it open.
What they saw made their jaws drop. "Little army?" Pansy quoted sarcastically, staring open mouthed at the large troop of people packed into the huge room. A mutinous muttering sound started from the edges of the room as every head turned in their direction. Words such as "Slytherin" and "Malfoy" caught their ears as the muttering grew louder. Blaise, Theo and Pansy all took a step back, feeling very intimidated but Draco stood his ground, eyes skirting the scene for the familiar black hair accompanied with the two flaming red haired figures. A couple of seconds later, Harry stepped out in front of the army of students who'd started shouting aggressively at the Slytherins. "What are you doing here?!" Yelled one of them and Draco turned, recognising the figure as Dean Thomas, one of the members in his quidditch team. Draco eyed Harry, who stared him and his fellow Slytherins down before yelling, "ALRIGHT!" Everyone fell silent. "Malfoy and his - er- friends, are here on my invitation as much as the rest of you are -" this again caused uproar. "SHUT IT!" Yelled Ginny, who'd stepped forward too. Harry nodded at her in appreciation and said in a loud and clear voice, "You have my word that they won't try anything funny whilst here with us. I'd appreciate it if you'd all show them the respect you show each other. He and his friends will participate in what I've called you all here for!" The students all mumbled begrudgingly but evidently the shock and excitement of seeing Harry and Ron come back from being missing was still in place as they respected his words.
As the muttering picked up again, another member of his quidditch team, Seamus Finnigan, asked loudly, "Why are we here Harry?" The muttering again, subsided. Harry looked intently at Draco before saying, "Hermione Granger was taken by Bellatrix Lestrange, right from inside the school walls." Draco was pretty sure that every other person in that room except the Slytherins and Ginny had just started exchanging hushed comments and gasps. Some acted like Ron had, staring Draco down like a piece of used chewing gum. Others looked downright worried.
Once these had subsided, Harry began talking again. "Hermione is a brilliant student and no one deserves to be taken and possibly tortured by death eaters. If anyone here would like to help in getting Hermione back then please stay here. It will be incredibly dangerous and I can't ensure that we won't get hurt but... so if anyone doesn't want to come then please leave now," Harry finished, biting his lip. "I don't like this, taking innocent students into Malfoy Manor," he added in an undertone to Ginny.
"It'll be fine, Draco knows his house, he'll get us through it. You and him," Ginny said back quietly. As it happened, no one left the room. Draco looked around, impressed. Even Blaise, Theo and Pansy had stuck around.
But the silence broke as Dean said loudly, yet again, "But why is he here?!" Everyone turned to look at Draco and his cronies, still standing relatively in the doorway. Before Harry could answer, to his and the Slytherins' astonishment, Draco stepped forward and said back, in an equally loud voice, "Because it's my house we think she's in! Are you turning down the opportunity for a map of the house Thomas? Or do you just expect to find one on the gate when you apparate there? Maybe you also expect the gates to open just because you asked politely. I'm telling you, none of you are getting in that house without me so just be grateful that I'm here!" That shut Dean up, but not Parvati, who asked loudly, "But why would you care if we got Hermione out Malfoy? Or is this just some trap for Harry?!"
Draco took a moment to deeply consider his answer before saying anything that could screw up his reputation. What was he meant to reply to that with? 'I care about here?' What a stupid thing to say. No. He couldn't say anything like that. 'I feel bad?' No, definitely not. "It's not a trap," Draco spat, "But -" he looked around for some support but none came. Harry caught his eye and looked at him uncertainly for a moment. Even Pansy looked stuck for answers that wouldn't blow his cover. "I don't need to answer to you!" Draco exclaimed angrily.
"Yeah you do, if you want us to work with you!" Padma, her twin sister shot back.
"Fine! Potter and I have a deal. He helped me do something and in return I help rescue the bookworm," Draco said savagely. He and Harry locked eye contact for a brief moment in which Harry nodded subtly and Draco acknowledged it. There was a murmur of understanding before the room fell quiet again.
"So we're breaking into Malfoy Manor. Isn't that supposed to be really well guarded?" Ernie Macmillan asked.
"Malloy can get us in and out. There will be as I understand a number of death eaters inside when we get there," Harry said loudly, "We will attack, get Hermione out and disapparate with her. We'll leave..." he glanced at Draco who looked extremely agitated and seemed to understand that they needed to leave sooner rather than later. "We'll train here for the rest of the day, get a good sleep tonight and we'll leave before classes tomorrow, 8:30 sharp after a quick breakfast. Ginny, once you leave the table at breakfast, everyone else should follow in a staggered pattern and we'll all meet in the entrance hall. Ginny, leave that hall at 8:30, got it?" Harry asked and Ginny nodded. "Good, right. I need everyone practicing spells now. Focus on disarming, body binding, shielding spells and any other useful spells you think will come in handy. I'll be coming round checking on everyone. Partner up, make sure you're better than the death eaters!" He finished, looking around at everyone.
After that, everyone moved into a space and began casting spells. Words such as "Patrificus Totalus" and "Protego" were shouted at random intervals by many different people. Draco even saw some patronuses. He saw Ginny walk straight over to Ron and, with a stabbing feeling in his gut, had an idea why she was wearing a grave face and exactly what she was going to tell him.
"Ron," Ginny said timidly once she was right behind him and the ginger boy looked around at her casually.
"Yeah?" He asked smiling but noticed her grave expression and asked, "What's up?"
"I know this really perhaps isn't the time but..." she lead him into a corner and began twisting her fingers nervously.
"What?" Ron asked intensely.
"Five days ago I got a letter from mum. There was an attack and... Ron - Ron Percy's been attacked!" Ginny said earnestly. Ron's face dropped like the stone that had just settled in his stomach.
"What do you mean -"
"He was tortured for some information and... and he didn't give it and... He couldn't get treated at St Mungos because the death eaters had over run it so he had to get treated at headquarters but there wasn't the right equipment and besides when we - I, went to headquarters to try and find you two... they've not been there for months, Ron. That means that their new meeting place is somewhere else and they probably don't have any medical equipment and -"
"Ginny calm down -"
"And I don't know if he's -"
"Ginny -"
"He could be seriously hurt -"
"Ginny -"
"He could be dead!"
"Ginny! Don't you dare say that. Percy will be fine, I promise you. Come here," Ron said confidently, grasping Ginny and pulling her into a tight hug, mainly so she couldn't see the tears trickling down his cheeks. He couldn't stay strong for Hermione, but he could for his sister. "We - We need to worry about Hermione now, Percy will be fine. Promise," he said quietly. Ginny nodded into his shoulder. War was harsh and it was cold.
Draco bit the inside of his cheek, observing the redheads from the other side of the room. Instantaneously he froze, all limbs locked into position. Momentarily confused, he tried to turn his head before realising his head had just suffered a large impact from the floor. He looked up at the ceiling and heard Pansy chortle, "Come on Draco, really? You weren't even paying attention!" Draco felt the counter curse being put upon him and got up, raising his wand and glaring at Pansy. "Head hurt?" Pansy asked, grinning.
"Course not," he sneered, rubbing his head.
"Hey, Draco," Theo muttered and Draco turned to face him, seeing another person that could seriously take a chill pill. Theo looked, if possible, more serious than his usual serious face looked. He had looked a second too long. Again, another curse hit him and he felt his legs lock together. "Pansy give it a break!" He yelled frustratedly, muttering the counter curse himself.
"Least it wasn't a full body binder," she chortled, but Draco's attention was back on Theo.
"Mind if we talk a minute?" Theo asked.
"Be my guest," Draco muttered, following Theo to the edge of the room.
"Remember that night you came back and you looked like you'd been to hell and back?" Theo asked in a serious tone. Draco thought. Did Theo mean the time he'd needed the bandage or the recent time. He had to mean the recent time.
"When I went home and forgot to clean up before coming back here, yeah I remember that. Don't think Pansy or Hermione will let me forget it if I'm honest," Draco smirked. Theo did not smirk back.
"Well, you surely remember telling us why you left. About the fact you were a death eater -" Draco's grin vanished and his look became stony, "And about your mission to find Potter. Draco, I really hate to ask this but -"
"Fuck you," Draco said, seething with rage, his blood boiling. "Fuck you Theo. You really think that this is all some sick reason to get Potter killed? What the fuck mate?!"
"I knew it wasn't the reason, I just wanted to make sure you won't do anything stupid. Even if your parents life is on the line. Or Hermione's," Theo said in a deadly tone. Draco went cold.
"What are you talking about?" He spat.
"If it came down to it, and Bellatrix had Hermione, would you hand Harry in to free her, or not?" Theo asked, voice as cold as stone. Draco stared at him.
"We'd fight. And I'd kill her. I'd kill Bellatrix and any other death eater scum that gets in my way. Just leave me alone Theo!" Draco spat furiously and he turned to continue duelling Pansy, doubt forming in the pit of his stomach. It would never come down to that, would it? Hermione or hope.
Just as he began a furious duel with Pansy, Neville strode over and he looked furious. One thing was clear; this was a very different Neville to the one on his quidditch team. "I'll take over, Parkinson," Neville growled and he attempted to disarm Draco - but failed. Unfazed, Neville glared at Draco, which was a very odd expression on him. "What is it Neville?" Draco asked, registering his cold expression.
"I don't believe him," Neville said, and they both stood, glowering at each other whilst spells shot by all around them.
"Don't believe what?" Draco shot back as a hare jumped over his head and landed between them.
"Don't believe that you're here just to help. What did you do, Malfoy? Did you help them kidnap her -?"
"Impedimenta!" Draco roared, seething with rage and the spell narrowly missed Neville's left ear.
"What did you do?!" Neville asked again.
"Nothing you dung eating scum! Why would I help them?!" He hissed.
"Because everyone's saying you're a death eater!" This was enough to make not only Pansy gasp, but Theo and Blaise both clenched their fists and Draco threw himself at Neville. "DRACO NO!" Pansy yelled and she and some blonde figure ran between them.
"Luna get off," muttered Neville furiously but both Pansy and Luna persisted and managed to pull them apart before they actually made contact.
"Thanks for the help Blaise!" Called Pansy as Draco glared daggers at Neville. Luna and her hare patronus stood looking between both boys. The hare shortly vanished as Luna began to say, "He hasn't done anything, Neville," in her dreamy voice.
"What would you know Luna?" Neville asked, somewhat softly.
"He's -" Luna began but Draco was looking at her as if to say 'Don't you dare tell him anything'. "He's not done anything," she repeated confidently, "Just trust me Neville, you'll find out soon enough."
"Is he threatening you?" Neville asked, enraged.
"No!" Replied not just Luna, but Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo. Neville looked between all of them, still unsure.
"Neville, give it a day and I'm sure you'll have figured it out," Luna smiled.
"Figured what out? Luna what are you on -"
"'Sup Neville?" Draco turned around to see Harry, clearly having overheard the conversation. Harry and Neville exchanged glances before the latter shrugged and walked away with Luna.
"I still don't know what's going on," Harry muttered after a few seconds and all four Slytherins shuffled their feet awkwardly. Draco glowered at Harry. "Alright, fine. I get it, it's a secret or whatever. I only needed to ask how you all are with duelling," Harry sighed. Blaise strutted forwards and drew his wand. Draco, Pansy and Theo all snorted. Of course Blaise would try to beat Harry in a duel. Harry smirked slightly before drawing his own wand. "Stupify!" Blaise yelled.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Harry yelled back, dodging the spell.
"Protego!" Blaise shouted, shielding himself from the spell. The shield shattered as soon as the spell hit it, but protected him enough.
"Impedimenta!" Harry shouted and, unable to react quick enough, the spell hit Blaise square in the chest and he fell backwards. Theo burst out laughing whereas Harry, hesitantly, walked over to Blaise and offered his hand. Blaise took it and Harry hauled him up. Everyone looked at each other very awkwardly. "Um, that shield needs strengthening, Zabini. Nott, Parkinson, could I see the two of you duel?" Harry asked after a pregnant pause.
The training continued and the afternoon before they knew it had turned to dusk and the students had to make their way down to the great hall, each debating on a suitable excuse on why they'd missed Charms and Transfiguration - or in the Slytherins' and Ravenclaws' case, double Herbology. They were surprised no one had been sent to find them - they were most of the year group after all apart for the people in sixth year or below. All of the seventh year Gryffindors were in D.A.
Many many miles away, the small, quivering girl jumped. "Don't touch me!" She shrieked as a figure she recognised as Bellatrix strode in. Even if she hadn't recognised the figure, she'd know that cackle anywhere. "He won't come, he's not stupid enough to do that. You'll never find him!" Hermione yelled across the room, her throat parched and in dire need of a drink.
"Insolent bitch!" Bellatrix smirked furiously, striding over and slapping the girl. Hermione just glared up at her, a slight gleam in her eye that Bellatrix was sure she'd stomped out hours ago. "You wait mudblood," Bellatrix breathed down onto her, "Potter will come and when he does, the Dark Lord will be ready. You and your pathetic blood traitors and mudbloods will die with you when he does."
"Never," Hermione spat, physically spitting onto Bellatrix' robes to which she screamed in horror and kicked the girl to the cold, stone floor. The woman stalked off, slamming the iron barred gate shut.
.
She heard the screams and the sound of skull on stone and felt her muscles clench. How long had it been now? Well over twenty four hours. She saw Bellatrix come up from the cellar in a fit of rage and backed herself up against the wall. "Everything alright with the girl Bella?" She asked.
"The sooner Potter turns up the better. I can't wait to gut that insolent bitch. Filthy mudblood! Don't look like that, she's a worthless piece of scum, Cissy!" Bellatrix snapped. Narcissa waited for Bellatrix to turn before letting loose a violent shudder. She tried not to think of the screams replaying over and over again in her head on a loop as Bellatrix had tortured the girl when she first arrived. She instead heard a muffled sob from the cellar below and thought back to when Lucius, her own husband had locked her up in there. What had happened that had caused everything to go so horribly wrong. And her son? How was he? How was poor Draco. She was sick to the bone with innocent people being tortured and ruthlessly slaughtered. She was sick of doing nothing.
Careful not to attract any attention, Narcissa crept through her house to the kitchen and put together a small meal on a napkin; A cheese role, a green apple and a small pile of leftover meat trimmings. Carrying is over to the sink, she filled a glass of water and carried this all back out of the kitchen. Ever so quietly, she made her way back to the staircase down to the cellar and tiptoed down. When had she started having to creep around her own house like this. And when had they actually started keeping people prisoner here. Well, how long had she been a prisoner here? A prisoner, in her own house. Because that's all she could see it being. She couldn't do what she wanted anymore. Merlin she couldn't even speak to her own son without her husband's permission. The whole thing was screwed up. Wrong. "Alohamora," she uttered into the muffled silence and she saw a figure at the wall tense. "Shh," Narcissa hushed, closing the gate behind her and bringing the plate of food and water over to the girl. Hermione stared at the food, hardly daring to believe it. "Eat, before Bellatrix sees. And dispose of the napkin afterwards. I'll take the glass up when you're finished drinking. Well don't just sit there," Narcissa whispered.
"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Hermione asked, tired and aching.
"You don't. But I'm sick and tired of all this torture. I'm a prisoner in my own house and... and you've seen Draco recently," Narcissa breathed. Hermione looked at her, expression softening. "How is my little boy?" Narcissa asked, on the verge to tears.
"He's fine, Mrs. Malfoy. Honestly, he's - he's doing well," Hermione said, picking up the cheese roll and hungrily wolfing it down. It seemed like the first food she'd had in days. "That's, that's good to know," Narcissa swallowed as Hermione gulped down the water. Absentmindedly, Narcissa brushed her hand against the bare skin on Hermione's knee, exposed due to the tears in her robes. "Goodness child you're freezing!" Narcissa gasped. She drew her wand and for a split moment Hermione considered snatching it, but what good would it do. Instead she resolved to flinching as Narcissa aimed her wand at her. "It's okay," Narcissa said, flicking her wand. Instantaneously, Hermione felt a warmth creeping from her body to the tips of her toes and fingers. Now it was Hermione's turn to gasp. "Thank you," she breathed.
"I'd fix the cuts too, dear, but Bellatrix would notice -"
"No, you've done more than enough. Thank you," Hermione said earnestly. The two women locked eyes before a shout smashed the atmosphere.
"CISSY!" A voice Hermione knew as Bellatrix' came thundering down the staircase and Narcissa jumped, grabbing the glass and giving the girl a fleeting look before saying "I hope you get out of here," and running back up the stairs. Hermione gazed at the locked gate in awe, wondering if she had imagined the whole scene but saw the lump of meat and half eaten apple and figured that it had all really happened. She wolfed down the rest of her food and huddled in a corner, stuffing the napkin in her torn robes pocket.
A/N I do like Narcissa as a character. I feel she isn't explained enough as she is such a good person, I think anyway. So, review if you feel it could have been improved, what you'd like to see happen or if you liked it in general. We're about to get to the exciting part very very soon so make sure to read the next chapter when it comes up, hopefully in two weeks time!