DRACO
With his friends trapped in the grips of several Death Eaters and his own father's wand digging painfully into his back, Draco didn't know what to do.
Immediately upon ambushing them, the Death Eaters had taken their wands. They were now held in the hands of one particularly burly-looking fellow, his (he could only assume they were a he) wide shoulders and bulging muscles evident even covered by his cloak. Draco watched him from out of the corner of his eye, attempting to at least glance beneath the Death Eater's hood, but could see nothing.
He let his father lead him through several halls in stony silence, broken only by the occasional scuffle as one of his friends tried to escape. His mind was racing frantically. What could they do? He could try to break free, but his father held him strong. He doubted he would be able to free even a finger. He tried to think of something else. Maybe he could cause a distraction? But how?
Before he could act, they were pushed and shoved into the dining room, where a blonde-haired woman sitting at the high seat of a long table wiped all thoughts of escape from his mind.
"Mum?" he gasped.
She rose from her chair at the sight of him, worry and anger etched upon her face. "Gedeon— "
"Sit down, Narcissa, or I will do what I did to you to your son," snapped a rough voice.
Anger curled in his gut as his mother gulped and sat at once, though her eyes remained fixated on him. As she moved, the light caught her face, and Draco could see several painful boils and gashes on her cheek. The anger in his gut flared.
He growled, turning to the man who'd spoken: Gedeon Albrecktsson, who was standing off to the side, a hood obscuring his features. "You crooked old hag— " Draco began, but he was cut off.
"Silence, Malfoy!"
A fist connected with his gut. He doubled over in pain, and yet still Lucius dragged him to the table. Behind him, he heard Luna gasp and Harry growl.
He blinked the stars from his eyes in time to see that he'd reached the table. Lucius released his hands, but now held him by the arm so tight that he was cutting off Draco's blood circulation.
"Sit," he snapped, jostling him roughly. When Draco didn't move, he pushed hard on his shoulder, forcing him down until he collided with the cold, hard chair. He grit his teeth and made a fist, yet he didn't move. He'd have to control himself if he wanted him, his mother, and his friends to get out of here in one piece.
He glanced around. He sat diagonal to his mother, mid-way down the long table while she occupied the head chair on his left. Albrecktsson stood across from him, leaning against the wall casually. His father stood behind him. Meanwhile, his friends and the Patils had not joined him at the table, and instead were being held tight in the doorway to his right, struggling to break free from the Death Eaters' tenacious grasps. At the front of the group was Harry, who was glaring murderously at both Lucius and Albrecktsson in turn.
"Calm down, Potter," Lucius said in his cool and calculating manner. "We just want to talk."
"Indeed." It was Albrecktsson. He at last removed his hood and moved into the light. At what must've been almost seven feet tall, he towered above everyone. He had hard eyes and graying hair. His jawline was strong, and his cheekbones high and defined. Nevertheless, he did not look regal, nor did he look battle-worn. In fact, he was simply—a man. He seemed business-like, but also had the air of a loving father, and he moved with grace and dignity. If Draco had not known who he was or what things he had done, he would never have imagined that this was the formidable Gedeon Albrecktsson that had orchestrated Muggle attacks, break-outs from Azkaban, and the captures of the Patils.
"Miss Brown," said Albrecktsson, sounding polite and scrupulous. "Would you please gather their wands?"
Draco stared. To Gedeon's right, a small Death Eater stepped forward and removed her hood to reveal the pale and terrified face of Lavender Brown. Yet her eyes held a sense of determination as she approached the burly Death Eater who held their wands.
Ron struggled harder. "Lavender," he rasped, "Lavender, look. They're fine." He titled his head towards the Patils. "You don't have to fight for them anymore!"
Lavender hesitated, her eyes flickering towards Ron.
"Lavender, I— "
"Silencio!" Albrecktsson hissed, and Ron was silent. "Now, Lavender, take them."
She swallowed, glancing once at Ron—who was struggling furiously against his curse—, but obeyed. The burly Death Eater held out the ten wands in one hand, and she took them into her arms, retreating quickly into the shadows.
"Now," Albrecktsson continued, his voice smooth and mellow, as though he had not a care in the world. "Narcissa, be a dear and fetch our little... gift."
Anger flashed in her eyes, but she stood and carried herself from the room with her shoulders back and her head held high. She was back in an instant, carrying in her arms a long, thin package. Draco's heart beat sped up. Behind him, his father shifted slightly.
Narcissa held out the package to Albrecktsson with a sharp jerk of her arm, shoving it roughly into his outstretched arms. He smiled at her.
"Thank you. That is all."
Narcissa sat once more, her lips pressed tight in an angry line. Albrecktsson's eyes glittered before he turned away, the package held carefully in both hands.
"What are you threatening her with?" Draco growled.
Albrecktsson smirked. "You, of course."
White-hot rage coursed through his veins. He snarled, standing angrily and baring his teeth, but it was useless; he was only pushed down once more.
"Draco," Albrecktsson said softly, meeting his eyes. They held each other's gaze, and Draco found himself inexplicably unable to look away. "You've come a long way."
He grit his teeth. "You didn't give me much of a choice," he hissed.
Albrecktsseon dipped his head slightly. "Indeed. But let's not fool around any longer. The act's up. We both know what you're really here for, and it isn't your mother."
Then, from behind him, came a faint murmur, so soft he couldn't distinguish the words. But suddenly every angry thought floated from his mind, every worry and puzzlement flew out the window, and he was immersed in complete bliss, everything seeming to be far, far away...
Say, I'm here for what you promised me, said a voice in the back of his mind. Just, I'm here for what you promised me. Say it.
"I'm here for what you promised me," he said aloud, though he barely noticed it. His voice seemed to issue from the other end of a long tunnel. Who cared about Albrecktsson and his mother anyway? The only thing that mattered was what was in that box.
Albrecktsson smiled widely at that. "Yes. Well, if you're sure Draco... " His voice, too, was distant.
I'm sure, came the voice in his head again.
"I'm sure."
His mother was looking at him like she'd never seen him before, but he didn't care. It was warm and cozy here, in the depths of his mind, and he never wanted to leave.
Albrecktsson frowned suddenly. "But you do understand what this will mean for your mother and your friends? If I give this to you, I cannot guarantee their protection."
"Guarantee our protection?" a shrill, fierce voiced asked. It was Ginny, reminding Draco that she and the others were still in the room. He'd almost forgotten... oh, well.
"What's going on?" said Padma, her voice trembling. "Malfoy?"
I don't care about their protection. Just give me what you promised.
"I don't care about their protection. Just give me what you promised." The words sounded a little strange coming out of his mouth. He frowned, but shook it off. He was sure that if it was important, the Voice would tell him.
Good.
His friends seemed to be holding their breath as Albrecktsson approached Draco, opening the box.
"For you," he said, and he handed the Elder Wand to him.
Draco stood to receive it, and this time his father let him. He rolled it in his palm, marveling at its power. What he could do with it... He would be almost invincible...
"Draco—?" It was Harry. Draco turned to him, a smile gracing his lips. He was so, so happy—
Hurt him. The Severing Charm.
"Diffindo!"
There were gasps as the spell was cast, cutting a deep gash in Harry's flesh below his cheekbone. Harry yelped in pain and surprise, and Draco was suddenly overwhelmed with how wrong it was for him to hurt Harry like that... He should stop...
No! You answer to me, Draco. You'll do as I say! You want that wand, don't you? Good! Then do what I tell you!
Within moments, he sank back down into warm bliss.
HARRY
The gash in his cheek hurt, but he ignored it, distracted by far worse things. Firstly, the most powerful wand in existence was fully available to the Death Eaters with no qualms about killing them. And for another, Draco's eyes were glazed and vacant, like an empty shell.
Imperioused, Harry thought, his heart beating in his throat. He could see no way out.
His only comfort was that Draco was not the true master of the Elder Wand; he had not beat its last owner. But neither was Harry, he realized, instinctively glancing at the burly Death Eater standing in the corner. He'd disarmed him, he'd beat him—whether he or the Death Eaters knew it or not, he was its master.
Albrecktsson was talking again, and Harry quickly snapped himself back to the present.
"You see, Narcissa? He speaks of rejecting the Dark Lord, but he enjoys doing his work! Ah—the Dark Lord always wanted to kill the great Harry Potter, and now, at least, we have the power to do so!" His calm and mellow tone was beginning to irritate Harry more than his actual plot to defeat them. "And you, Draco, you'll enjoy killing him, won't you?"
"Don't listen to him," Harry snapped, speaking quickly. "Can't you see he's— "
Before he could say anything more, the Death Eater behind him snarled, "Silencio!" and he was forced to be silent, his mouth still working but no sound coming out. He glared at Albrecktsson with all the force he could muster, but the man just chuckled.
You stupid old hag! he thought visciously. You spineless, pathetic—
Albrecktsson turned away from him, causing his anger to surge even more. He struggled against his captor's grasp, but they held firm. He was powerless.
Narcissa spoke. "How did—how did you know what he said? About rejecting the Dark Lord?" She stared at him in horror. "Have you been spying on us?"
Albrecktsson's lips curved up into a cruel smile, but he only said, "Draco! Why don't you give that wand back to me, and I'll be sure to keep it nice and safe. In the meantime, you may use your own... "
Albrecktsson gestured at Lavender, who tossed him Draco's hawthorn wand. While they exchanged wands, Ginny spoke quietly from beside Harry, her words barely audible. He tried hard not to turn his attention to her. She was talking to Lavender, who was standing only a few feet away, her face pale and drawn.
"Lavender," she said in a low voice, "you can stop this. You can help us. Please, just give us back a wand, just one— "
Lavender screamed, a sound so sudden and hoarse that Harry jumped a mile. Albrecktsson whipped around, the Elder Wand in his hand. Even some of the Death Eaters started.
Heart beating wildly, Harry suddenly realized that Lavender was forming words with the sounds that were spewing from her mouth. It was hard to tell.
"SAYS YOU!" she screeched, spit flying everywhere. "SAYS THE GIRL WHO TEASED ME AND RIDICULED ME ALL BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY! AND YOU!" She jabbed a thumb into Ron's solar plexus, making him wheeze. "YOU HUMILIATED ME! YOU CHOSE GRANGER AFTER EVERYTHING WE SHARED TOGETHER! BUT I ALWAYS KNEW YOU'D RUN OFF TO HER. YOU ALWAYS LOVED DULL FREAKS!"
Ron bared his teeth, limited by the Silencing Charm that still worked against him, but Lavender wasn't finished. Behind her, Albrecktsson looked on with pride.
"I HAVE SPENT YEARS AS THE SECOND-RATE, FOOLISH PUSHOVER EVERY BOY WAS DYING TO GET HIS HANDS ON. I ENDURED IT FOR SEVEN YEARS, SEVEN YEARS—DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA— "
Parvati was sobbing, tears flowing in streams down her cheeks. "Lavender, please! This isn't you! Please, stop!"
"You should've been there for me," Lavender panted, her eyes flashing in anger and something else. "You should've helped!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Parvati cried, desperation and despair coating her words. "Please!"
"Enough!" Albrecktsson cried, intervening. "We didn't come to discuss petty feuds— "
Lavender looked at him incredulously. "Petty feuds?" she repeated. "How could you! You said you sympathized, you said— "
She didn't even have time to flinch. There was a bang and a flash of light, and Parvati screamed as Lavender flew across the room, slammed into the wall, and then fell to the floor, out cold.
"I've had enough of that nonsense," Albrecktsson hissed, stepping forward, the Elder Wand in his hands. For a moment, Harry saw anger and hatred in his eyes, and understood in that instant why he'd been chosen to lead. But his mellow demeanor was back within seconds. "Now, to the real reason why we're here—Potter!"
For Merlin's sake!
He was forced to step forward by the Death Eater holding him. Jerked roughly to a stop just before Albrecktsson, he glared up at him and spat in his face. Albrecktsson scrunched his nose in disgust and wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"That wasn't very kind," he said to Harry. "Perhaps we ought to teach you manners before we question you. Finite."
The Silencing Charm was removed, yet rage coiled in his gut. He was reminded of what Voldemort had once told him in the graveyard: Dumbledore would like you to show manners... Bow to death, Harry...
"Take the Curse off him, and you won't need to," he snarled, jerking his head towards Draco.
Albrecktsson raised a single brow. "Ah! Clever boy. But I'm afraid the Curse wasn't meant for you and your friends, Potter."
He was taken aback. Who was it meant for then? His mind reach a single conclusion, and his rage was replaced with dread. "The Ministry."
"Indeed." Albrecktsson smiled coldly. "You didn't honestly think we would reveal ourselves so carelessly? The Ministry of Magic will come to the Manor to find Draco Malfoy and his mother guilty of the imprisonment of the Patils and your deaths. Perhaps we'll throw in the Mudblood's parents, too." He tilted his head towards Hermione.
"You killed them," Harry growled. "Not Pansy and Blaise."
Albrecktsson grinned. "You thought they had the guts to do that? No. They simply passed on the information to someone who could, and I was happy to send out a few of my followers to do the work."
Harry felt sick. Behind him, there was a disturbance; Ron was fighting to extract himself from his captor's grasp, the expression on his face murderous. Albrecktsson chuckled.
"Calm down, boy. I hope you know that your girlfriend's parents' deaths was nothing personal. At any rate, with so many murders, that's enough to lock Draco and Narcissa away for" —he pondered it for a moment— "a decade or two, I suppose?"
"You bitch!" Narcissa cried, rising from her chair, her eyes burning in anger. "You loathsome cow!"
"That's enough, dear," said Albrecktsson. With a flick of his wrist, he muttered a spell and she was forced down, secured against the chair by some invisible force.
She growled. "You will never get away with this," she told him haughtily, lifting her chin.
He just smiled before flicking his wand again; Narcissa was silent.
"Now, Potter," he said, turning to him. "I have a few questions for you. I'd like you to answer them honestly."
"What a surprise," Harry said under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Albrecktsson's eyes glittered. "Good. Well then." He raised his wand again, and Harry found himself pinned to a chair, similar to Narcissa. He twisted in his new seat, but his invisible binds wouldn't give. He was trapped.
Albrecktsson approached him lazily, relishing in the sight of him struggling against his bonds. Harry only stopped moving when the Death Eater placed two hands on the chair's armrests and leaned uncomfortably close, his nose only inches away from Harry's face. He had to cross his eyes to see him properly.
"First!" he said, smiling down on him serenely with light-blue eyes, another stark contrast to the man's cruel personality. "We'll start with a simple question, Potter." His teeth seemed to gleam in the light. "How was it that you managed to defeat the Dark Lord?"
Harry raised his brows. He'd been asked that question before... Pansy and Blaise had attempted to torture it out of him in the Room of Requirement.
"I already told Pansy and Blaise," he answered evenly. "Voldemort killed himself."
Surprise flitted across Albrektsson's features momentarily, but it was gone in an instant. He leaned back slightly. "Liar."
Harry shook his head, causing Albrecktsson to bare his teeth.
"How is that possible?" he cried angrily. "How can that be?"
Harry smirked. "I dunno, why don't you ask him?"
Albrecktsson's expression darkened. He stuck him across the jaw before leaning close once more, unamused.
"How is it possible," he gritted out, his breath brushing across Harry's face. He smelled of hair product and burnt plastic, and his breath of lime. It was a strange combination.
"It was his own arrogance and stupidity that did him in," Harry told him, blinking his eyes back into focus and tilting his nose away so that the strange stench emanating from him was less potent.
He didn't like that. He grabbed Harry by the jaw and turned his head towards him, holding him painfully tight. Harry squirmed.
"And how, pray tell, was he foolish?" Albrecktsson probed.
Harry tightened his jaw. He could not under any circumstances tell Albrecktsson about Horcruxes. It would be detrimental. What if he decided to make some of his own? Harry didn't want another Voldemort on his hands.
His mind racing, he quickly thought of an excuse. "He thought that, with the Elder Wand, he was invincible. But he didn't think of" —An idea took form in his head— "didn't think to guard himself from Muggle technology."
It took a while for Albrecktsson to process what he'd said. When he did, he gaped at Harry. "What on earth— "
Harry, confidence surging, smirked. "We poisoned Lord Voldemort with a deadly dose of Polonium."
Albrecktsson stared at him, at loss for words. Behind him, Ron coughed.
Absolute silence fell. The entire room held its breath as Albrecktsson kept staring at him blankly, long enough for Harry's smirk to fade and his heart to beat faster. Finally, the Death Eater roared, "Liar!"
He surged forward, arms outstretched, and wrapped his hands around Harry's neck. Harry choked, clawing at Albrecktsson's arms and gasping for breath, but it was no use; his grip was too tight. Slowly, painfully, he lost all air. His lungs screamed. The room swam around him.
I suppose this is the end, he thought to himself.
But just as he was about to lose consciousness, Albrecktsson released him. Harry gasped, gulping down several lungfuls of air, his throat aching. Blinking rapidly, he looked around.
Spells were bouncing everywhere, off the walls, furniture, and more. The Death Eaters were suddenly fighting with all their might. Turning, he saw why: Witches and Wizards in Ministry robes were flooding into the room, wands out and flashing. Harry gaped at them. How on earth had the Ministry found them? How did they know?
He felt a hand on his shoulder; he started. Twisting in his seat, he saw Draco Malfoy, his eyes clear and focused, brandishing his hawthorn wand.
"Relashio!" he cried, and Harry was free. He stood unsteadily, still feeling woozy from almost being strangled to death.
"Draco?" he asked hesitantly, unsure if he was free from the curse or if Harry was just hallucinating.
Draco nodded. "It's me. I shook it off when he was choking you."
Harry sighed in relief. Then his words sank in.
"Hang on... when I was being strangled, you were able to fight the curse off... for me?"
A slight blush tinted Draco's cheeks. "What was I supposed to do, let you die?"
Harry gave him a sheepish grin.