Chapter 36: Corridor Meetings
"Ghet up!" came the guard's voice as he nudged Emily, rather hard, on her side. She was forced awake. Today she would be given her sentence; today her fate would be decided, a feeling of fear made its way up her spine. What would the ministry do? Was Professor Dumbledore able to use her theory to help? Emily didn't have another second to think about it as she was thrust out of her cell, the magical bindings wrapping around her feet and hands. The stench of the guard was unbearable as he forcibly led her, closely behind him, down the cold, stone corridors to the room where she would wait. The oaf of a guard, who must have been part troll, stopped suddenly forcing her to run straight into him. Losing her balance she fell backward, crashing onto the hard stone floor.
"Ouch! Hugh, that hurt you imbecile!" She said harshly as she tried rather awkwardly to stand up, her bindings making it slightly difficult.
"Whut did ya sauy?" His slightly green, pudgy face turned red with anger.
"You heard me." Her eyes darkened at her threat.
Emily had had enough of his kindness. The knowledge that today could be the last day of her life had left her a little more rash than usual. Unfortunately for her however the guard was not in a forgiving mood. She had not even the chance to take another breath before he grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off her feet with ease and rammed her back into the wall.
"Whut do ya have to sauy now missy."
His chuckle was thick throated as he laughed at her expense. Emily grabbed his hands, but her hands were useless in their binding. She couldn't free herself. Maybe it hadn't been in her best interest to upset him. Her eyes strained, her lungs burned due to the lack of oxygen, it was only a matter of time before she would slip into unconsciousness.
"That's no way to treat a prisoner of the ministry." A smooth voice spoke from the dark corridor.
"I suggest you put her down before you kill her. We wouldn't want that now would we?" Lucius Malfoy appeared out of the darkness, his black robe and snake encrusted cane in hand. His slicked back, blond, hair a dark contrast to the blackness found in his sinister smile and daring blue eyes. The guard slowly released his grip and set Emily down, where she slumped to the ground trying to regain her breath.
"Leave us." Lucius flicked his hand as if he was simply swatting away some insect.
"Bhut sir, I huv sticht ordars to bring her to tha trial." The troll of a guard tried to explain.
"And you shall. I just want a moment to speak with the prisoner. Let's strike a bargain shall we? I will not speak of what I stumbled upon if you won't tell anyone I was here. How does that sound hmm?" The guard only gave a blank faced nod before turning and leaving.
"Now then. I must say my dear that you look rather dreary." Malfoy stepped towards Emily, his face formed into a state of repugnance at seeing her. Emily finally regained her breath as she slowly tried to stand using the cold damp wall for support.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Emily said vehemently. "Or should I ask what does he want?"
"You broke the oath my dear. The penalty I am afraid is death." A sinister smile spread across his face as his eyes blazed with excitement.
"I'm afraid to disappoint you but I believe you are mistaken."
"Denial is not a befitting attribute my dear." Malfoy stated dryly.
"The oath states that I must speak of our order to no one, that all our secrets shall remain embedded within our mouths for all eternity. I never spoke of it to anyone."
"You showed the whole ministry…"
"Yes, Malfoy…I showed them…I did not tell them. Why else do you think he sent you here to kill me? If I had spoken of the plans than I would have died already, 'tis better to eat our own death than to reveal our secrets.' I am clearly not dead. Am I?"
"You will be. It does not matter whether you spoke of them or showed them. He is angry."
"I'm sure he is." Emily gave a slight laugh at the thought of seeing him so rattled by her actions.
"How dare you!" Malfoy with a swift motion revealed his black wand, pointing directly at Emily. "He may not be able to kill you, you piece of filth, but that doesn't mean I cannot. You are no longer under his protection. "
"The public will think it curious that I died before my sentence was given, don't you think?" Emily's breath was shallow. She tried to stall him as she came up with a plan. No wand, hands bound, legs shackled, and any hope of someone finding them was thousands of yards away.
"No, dear girl, I don't think they will bloody well care. I mean, the daughter of a murderer, a member of the Death Eaters, a follower of the Dark Lord. The Ministry will thank me for getting you off their hands." His wand raised, his eyes blazing, Malfoy lips parted to mutter the deathly curse.
"FATHER!" Draco stepped out of the darkness like his father, except he stood between his father's wand and Emily's helpless body.
"Draco! What are you doing?" Lucius Malfoy said perplexed at his son's actions.
"No, father."
"Get out of my way boy!"
"Let the Ministry kill her. If there is even a whisper of this to anyone and you are found to blame our name shall be ruined. We need that credibility more than ever for the coming war."
"Draco. Move. I have orders to…
"have her killed. I know. Yet, our master did not say how. I have heard through our sources that they have already claimed her sentence and it is that of death." Upon hearing this Emily suddenly went limp and slumped to her knees on the ground, her mind racing with thoughts and questions. "Look at her father, she's practically dead already. The Ministry will get rid of her, and our name, the name of Malfoy, which you have worked your whole life to restore, shall be kept out of it. Our Lord will need our connections more than her death in the coming months." Draco's words made his father take a step back, his wand lowering.
"You may be right. Well done." Lucius Malfoy put away his wand. "Call for the guard, Draco. We are finished with her. She shall get what she deserves for disloyalty soon enough." With a last look at his son, he turned and disappeared into the darkness. Draco gave a sigh and turned to help Emily up. Yet, she shrugged him off, determined to do it herself.
"I can see you're still stubborn."
"And I can see that you still are an…"
"That's the thanks I get for saving your life?" Draco stated.
"You are the one you got me into this in the first place! So don't even think about getting a thank you from me!"
"and still feisty."
"Shut up." Emily moved the hair that had fallen out of her face. "What do you want Draco, the honor of killing me yourself. Hmm? You want to tell Voldemort yourself that you killed me? Think he will fall on his knees and kiss your hand out of gratitude?"
"No."
"Because he won't. He just takes Draco! He will use you until you are the one who is dead. Look at your father; he gave his life over a long time ago. Now he is just a servant at the bidding of a master. Soon you will just be the same as he is."
"No, I won't." Draco looked into her eyes with such intensity that it unnerved her.
"Yes, Draco you will. You will unless you change. What does Ginny have to say about all of this?" Emily hit a sensitive note she could tell.
"What does Ginny Weasley have to do with any of this?"
"I am afraid that she has everything to do with it." Emily heard the thud of the guard's footsteps approaching.
"I never told you…how did you know?" Draco was scared. The knowledge that such a secret had been exposed riveted him.
"It was in your eyes that night we sat together in the cold. Where did that guy go Draco? Don't give him up so easily. He was too good to be thrown away on a person who cares nothing for you or a father who simply uses you for the advantage of himself." Emily had no more time for the guard had found them.
"Where dud he go? Who ar ya?" The guard scratched his hairless head as he tried to figure things out.
"We are finished. I am sure that they will be ready for me by now." Emily spoke solemnly as her thoughts once returned to her awaited sentencing. "Goodbye Draco." He simply nodded goodbye to her. Emily turned and followed the guard through the corridors.
Harry sat anxiously as the ministry officials filled into the trial room again. He hadn't slept all night. Upon returning to Grimmauld Place, he told Hermione and Ron about what Emily had said and how Hermione had indeed been right once again. Ron had gotten a laugh when Harry told them about Emily showing him her scar. Harry had told them that nothing more had happened, but Ron had thought a good teasing would lighten his spirits. What if he was wrong and the Ministry did give her a death sentence? What if Dumbledore wasn't able to save her? Harry couldn't dwell on it; the idea of it was too painful. Hermione made him snap back into reality when she comfortingly grabbed his hand.
"Harry it will be alright. I promise." Hermione said soothingly.
"Yeah, mate. Dumbledore will sort it all out. You'll see." Ron spoke.
"I'm not so sure." Harry muttered as he glanced at the Minister of Magic who was preparing his notes.
It didn't take more than a moment for her to realize that they had reached their destination. The chair and its metal restraints stood in front of her outlined by the only light that filled the dank and dark circular room. The light filtered through the cracks within the flooring of the trail room. Within moments she would be raised once again into its chambers. Four burly guards who surrounded the chair waited for her. She was pulled into the room and pushed into the chair by her oaf of a guard. Her hands and feet, cut and bruised, were then once again chained into the metal restraints. Emily's heart pounded, her breathing shallow. The guards returned to their positions as they awaited orders. All Emily could hear was the noise from above, the noise of those who held her life in their hands.