A/N: So, I've been reading The Draco Trilogy. I don't know if I've been under a rock or what, but yes, this is my first time reading it. I lurve it so much that I've been neglecting writing for my own fic! Ah! I must balance my obsessions better and get back to work! . It's just soooooo amazingly addictive! I'm on "Sinister" now!
Chapter 55
6 O'clock came and went. There was no sign of the Malfoys coming down the stairs in the hopes of dinner, so Hermione was fairly sure they were passing on the invitation. Well, they would have to come down and eat sometime. It wasn't like anyone was eating tonight, anyways, despite Mrs. Weasley's over-done efforts to make the biggest meal Hermione had ever seen. Mrs. Weasley was the type to pour her grief and her love into her cooking, afterall.
Ginny had been suffering for over three hours, now. Tonks hadn't returned from their trip to find Dumbledore, and Mrs. Weasley refused to tell them anything. It was as if she believed by giving them the information and giving them all hope she would somehow jinx it.
Everyone in the house (minus the elder Malfoy's) had taken turns sitting with her. The only one who never left her was Harry, who continued to hold her hand in a vice-grip. No one could talk him into coming down to eat; Hermione made a mental note to bring food up to him after dinner. No doubt Mrs. Weasley would suggest the same, anyways.
The meal was quite somber. Just about all the Weasley's, minus Charley, were present at this point, and quite a few Order members had shown up as well. Hermione knew it was a normal occurrence for everyone to show up for dinner, but tonight each person who came in the house was somber, as if they knew full well the situation.
It was closing in on seven when the fire blazed green, and like a great bat their hook-nosed Professor swept out of it, followed closely by Dumbledore and Tonks.
The younger members of the Order, namely Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George, jumped hurriedly from the table, everyone talking at once.
"Do you have the Potion…?"
"Where is it?"
"What took you so long!?"
"Let's get it upstairs!"
Professor Snape just glared on at them, not saying a word, and took a seat at the table. Dumbledore frowned, and sat next to him, turning to the room full of people.
"Professor Snape has the potion finished to a certain degree….however, there is a rare ingredient involved that is not found in your average cupboard. Not even in the one belonging to the potions master of Hogwarts." He said, his voice holding a hint of sadness. Hermione felt her stomach drop out in panic. If Dumbledore thought it was hopeless…
"What is it that's needed, Professor?" Hermione asked quickly. "We can go out and find it, wherever it is. We have to."
Snape snorted, and Hermione couldn't help but glare in his direction. She hated to be so blunt as Harry and Ron, but she couldn't help but think 'The greasy git.'
Dumbledore sighed. "I'm afraid that would be quite difficult, given our small time frame and low numbers. Otherwise, I would certainly have collected it myself."
Snape glared in his direction. "It's not just difficult, it's impossible. To counteract the effects of Venter Distraho, we require a Nundo heart."
Hermione and several others in the room who understood gasped. Nundo were very terrifying magical creatures, resembling leopards. It took at least a hundred wizards to bring one down, and that hadn't happened for at least fifty years…where the hell would they get a heart? Hermione felt it was, as Snape had said, impossible…
"I know where we can get one."
Hermione could scarcely believe she had just heard that, and everyone's eyes turned to its source. Draco Malfoy looked uncomfortable as everyone turned to him with hope and amazement in their eyes. He glared back to cover up his discomfort, and continued. "A… "friend" of the family has a rare collection of petrified creatures."
Hermione's stomach churned. Petrified creatures? She had a feeling that was highly illegal. She knew keeping a Nundo was incredibly illegal, not to mention dangerous in the extreme. Those things take out whole villages in East Africa! "Who?" She asked, simply.
Everyone focused on Draco, waiting for his answer. He looked tense, studying the faces around him. Finally, letting out a sigh, he answered, "Parkinson's. You'll never find their collection; the ministry has tried. They have some heavy spells on it all. Most old families hide their darker magical objects and creatures with ingenious methods…"
"I…is it…alive?" Lupin asked, his face whiter than normal. Hermione saw that he, too, had done his homework when it comes to Nundo's.
"Yes. It's petrified, though. In case they ever need a part, or if someone pisses them off enough…"
Everyone looked properly horrified at this.
"So, we need to go there." Mr. Weasley said, standing up from the table without further preamble.
Draco sneered. "Did you not hear me say it was hidden?"
Hermione was a bit alarmed at how his condescending tone and cruel facial features matched Snape's at the moment. She nudged him with her elbow and he shot her a look. "Well? It is." He answered, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What should we do, then?" Hermione asked softly. Draco relaxed, appreciative at her respectful questioning, and thought.
"I can go and get it, I think." He said, a whiny undertone to his voice. He let out a frustrated sound like a groan and stood. "It won't help to force it; I'll have to go and ask. I can buy it off them, if need be."
"May I remind you, Mr. Malfoy, that time is limited." Snape said in a much more respectful tone than he would use with anyone else at the table other than perhaps Dumbledore. His damn favoritism….although Hermione was hardly one to talk when it came to favoring Draco.
She beamed up at him. She was proud he would go to such lengths to try and save Ginny. It was certainly a change from his past self, who would most likely have not said a word to avoid the trouble. She couldn't help herself as she grabbed his hand from her seat, winding her fingers around it. He looked down at her, questioningly.
"You can't go alone. I'll come." She said, fully aware that that wasn't the best idea. But logic didn't factor in; she didn't want him going into danger without her.
He scowled. "You know full well that Pansy's home for summer, and she just plain hates you. It will not help our case."
Hermione frowned. Yes, she knew that. But some small, growling part inside her didn't want Draco going there, either, because that girl was there…
"I'm better off alone on this one; there's no danger, really. Parkinson's are not Death Eaters, er, yet. They wouldn't know I'm in trouble with the Dark Lord, they'd just think they were helping out a friend."
"Bring someone! You never know what Voldemort-" Several in the group cringed, "-would have done to ensure you and your family are caught! He might have thought of you going to the Parkinson's at some point! Bring…bring your father with you, at least…"
"Oh, no." Moody said, speaking for the first time in hours. "I don't think so. The kid isn't a Death Eater- his parents, however, are not leaving this house until we're sure the Ministry isn't corrupted from within anymore. Then they can leave- leave straight for their trials."
Hermione glared as Draco seemed to shrink a little under Moody's sharp swiveling eye. He turned it to the ceiling, as if checking to make sure Malfoy Senior was still upstairs. She could only imagine what Draco was feeling: He had brought his parents here to save them from Voldemort's wrath, afterall. He was probably upset that he had just delivered them to Moody and the Ministry's wrath. Hermione wished it could be different, but what Moody said did make some sense; Lucius and Narcissa were fully accountable for their past actions. Draco, since first going home this summer and serving Voldemort, had been planning his escape. There was no arguing he had been forced into it, but his father had long been a supported of Voldy. Running away/being kidnapped away from their Lord wasn't enough to warrant them a full pardon…
"I'll go." Said a voice from the doorway. Hermione looked up, shocked at Ron's offer. He had just been up with Ginny, and looked rather shaky but determined. Draco snorted, and Hermione, while she understood his incredulousness, had to elbow him again. He shot her a look and she met his eyes, pleading. She tried to tell him, 'Be nice to Ron. His sister is hurt…' with her eyes, and she was almost sure Draco got the message.
He sighed. "Like I said, it would be dangerous for anyone else to go." He said, quite firm.
"Then I'll wear Harry's cloak." He said, determined.
"Completely out of the question." Ron's father said tersely.
"Ron going? Yes, that is certainly out of the question. However, the invisibility cloak has its possibilities…" Tonks said.
"We are wasting time." Snape said in his usual drawling tone with a bit of bite.
Everyone was silent for the briefest of moments, and Draco asked in a somewhat shaky voice, "So…can one apparate out of here?"
"From the doorstep." Dumbledore answered, his face somewhat grim. "While we do not like sending you out alone, it appears we have no choice. An invisibility cloak," He said, facing the room, "would be more trouble than it's worth. Getting through doors requires that one waits for them to be opened, one must remain completely quiet, and if discovered the Parkinson's will just become suspicious of Draco's intentions. We are running out of precious time, so I'd suggest that you hurry, Mr. Malfoy."
Draco nodded, and Hermione's heart leapt into her throat. Dumbledore was seriously letting him go alone!? Did everyone care so little for his safety? Hermione had a moment of wondering if it had been Harry going, if anyone would have actually let it go at that.
Probably not.
