It was the Longbottom heir who told them what exactly the mudblood and her traitor friends had. Draco waved away his guilt.
"It's not as if it were privileged information. They would want us to know what they have to trade." The pair of them were in the abandoned classroom Evan had been using for his not-so-secret dueling practice, which had become a de facto meeting place for the vassals and their followers. The leader had encouraged them to gather followers of their own not long after they formed, which led to Bole using the last of his Quidditch celebrity to gain a few first and second-years. Other vassals had fewer followers, if more notable ones. Being named vassals had elevated Parkinson and Bulstrode more than it lowered them, making them something of an authority in the witches' rumor mill of Slytherin. It had ended up being their work in looking into Mafalda's case that located the culprits, but as they were from good families and the first-year was likely a blood traitor, Draco ultimately decided to pardon them with a warning.
"I can't say I've got any idea where they've kept him, 'cept it's not outside." The blonde wizard nodded, allowing everyone else to wonder what it was he understood Neville to mean. The truth was, he had seeded much of the soil in the castle grounds with some kind of magical fungus, which served to decompose residual magic. Small wards, missed spells, the remains of dead magical creatures, and whatever else would be subsumed into the fertilization of the soil.
"That is valuable information, thank you Longbottom." he responded, dismissing the overweight wizard. In truth, he had lost some weight, but most would not notice. The Hufflepuff left them.
"I have my doubts about working with him. He seems of the same sentimental variety as our enemies." Derrick ventured. Nott seemed to agree, but said nothing.
"Worse, actually," Draco responded, smirking. "He longs for first year, when there was no war at all. He knows not his true friends from his enemies and those using him, or he cares not for the difference." His expression grew serious- on command, as ever. "We shall need him for the next attack by his own House. We were lucky to survive their assault of greater numbers, and they will be wise to select a time and a target outside the reach of teachers."
"Electrum was not in their numbers," Nott noted. Crabbe and Goyle had been sufficient to slow his fall, though a few healing spells were required after that. Ioseb, the Durmstrang student Evan had brought to the duel, was not so fortunate. I can only hope vanishing his body will be sufficient. Evan said he had a friend in the Headmaster, and for that reason I suspect he is the Dark Lord.
"What are we going to do with the harlot we have in the dormitory?" Parkinson asked, perhaps seeing that one subject had reached a natural conclusion. "Are we going to leave her tied up in the dungeons for Bole's boys to find?"
"That question is out of line," Bole asserted, likely borrowing a phrase from his uncle, a prosecutor in the Wizengamot.
Draco sighed. It was truly a disgusting thing the witch was suggesting, but the fact they had tolerated it with the Slytherin first-year opened a door, at least from one perspective.
"Crimes against Slytherin witches vary in severity by both blood and loyalty. Had Miss Prewett reported the incident to me, or any one in Slytherin, her loyalty would be unquestioned. She has, however, most likely taken roost with out enemies, as she has not been seen in the dormitories. I have out of the perpetrators the exact nature of their crimes and I have decided it would be insufficient reason for further punishment, which was mitigated by their blood and loyalty." The vassals seemed to consider his argument, which had not previously had been prevented. It explained his reasoning and put to rest suspicions that he had been otherwise motivated, but it subjected him to question and argument. "I know beyond the most infinitesimal doubt that the Hufflepuffs are willing to resort to such measures against enemy combatants, and what goes for the enemy goes for the traitor tenfold. I would not be surprised to find their defectors with such scars, visible or otherwise."
The idea seemed to renew a silent fervor he knew his vassals possessed, for if it were out of reason that they swore allegiance, it had been passion that brought them against their enemies like cornered rats determined to do the cornering for a change.
"I would suggest, Malfoy, that we verify her identity and present her unharmed," Crabbe managed. It appears my abilities continue to rub off on you. You might yet make a skilled negotiator if you were to find a way to put three independent clauses in a sentence.
His suggestion seemed to surprise some of the others, but the truth of it was they failed to realize he was violent, but not bloodthirsty.
"It would appear we are relying on their foolish sentimentality," Nott commented. "If, by contrast, they are thinking, they will behead him as the grey-cloaked of Marseilles beheaded Ector the Deathless." Draco nodded. There were a handful of spells that had been used in the past to bypass protective enchantments, and quite a few of them provided for quite the spectacle, but a killing curse would usually suffice. The Dark Lord himself likely possessed nothing that could save him from it, else he would have gone ahead and declared himself emperor of the world. I remain relatively sure that Mister Thomas, at the very least, can produce one.
"I believe we can, within reason, rely on the very same," Draco responded. "There is of course the chance they intend to cheat us, and in that event we shall have a contingency. Between now and then, however, we would be foolish not to use our numbers to seek them out. Discovering where Evan is being kept will deliver him into our hands, and Longbottom has essentially told us he is confined to the castle."
"The castle's wards would provide a way of verifying identities," Bulstrode suggested. The Malfoy heir ignored the statement on principle, yet it was true enough. The Inspectors had been allowed to enter the school only upon proving that they were not themselves, dark wizards, an early compromise in the arrangement, though apparently being possessed by a dark wizard was not something whoever read the names could detect. It makes one wonder how exactly the Dark Lord would have come in a second time, but this will not be the first convention he has managed to defy.
"Bole, it will be your duty along with Bulstrode to perform the trade as necessary, Parkinson you may communicate the details. Crabbe, you and Goyle will be securing the area to prevent our enemies from bringing reinforcements, though they likely have none."
"What will you do?" Goyle asked.
"I have a suspicion the Heir and our missing vassal are being hidden in the Chamber of Secrets. Else, there are most likely Death Eater loyalists in there, or people we can use in any event. Simulating an attack on the Chamber will either result in their liberation or an increased security detail, which takes Aurors away from productive work." Whether it contains common criminals or our own wizards, the Chamber will prove a helpful venture. "Before it comes time to trade, be sure to have searched the castle." he ordered, his eyes lingering on Bole. Perhaps your followers may prove useful yet.
As the meeting dismissed, he had some idea that Parkinson would settle on midnight, a standard meeting time for those who could sneak out. It was somewhat easier under Headmaster Snape, who seemed to believe that teachers, including himself, would better served posted in front of the common rooms on a rotating scheme. With this change in place, the troublemaker had only to avoid being shepherded from the Great Hall to the common area by the Prefects. In his case it was easy enough, as the House representatives avoided him when he seemed to want to be avoided, though it was probably also easy enough for his enemies, as they were outcasts of a sort. He smirked to himself at the idea. Their delusion only deepens if they seriously expect to fight both us and the Hufflepuffs. Draco had, of course, told the dark lions and younger Slytherins that the mudblood and her friends were tacitly supporting the conspiracy, but he knew the truth well enough. They lack a leader, or anyone who might attract students. They are not completely without note of their own, but their choice to remain anonymous sabotages any hope they had of gaining greater following.
At the same time, three of them had managed to defeat him, Evan, and Ioseb, a student sworn to defend Evan with his life.
Mister Thomas and his cursed strength would have won the day for them in single combat- it was their own folly that led to their current situation, as we would have no prisoners had he not allowed us strategies of more than one wizard. The Malfoy heir shook his head. There was no need to make the best of it in his own mind. Our plan was seamless. With the Durmstrang loan on defense, Evan's time-sensitive curses and conjurations were supposed to work, while I used Legilimency- most likely without their knowledge. He briefly considered that one of his opponents had some way of detecting it, perhaps Occlumency, but discarded the idea. He remembered encountering no mental blocks, nor did he find anything he could use on a moment's notice.
He did, however, find one thing of interest.
Perhaps I should have seen it coming, with it being two blood traitors. A smug, contented expression formed. I doubt it even occurred to them just how quickly their little fling was developing. I suppose I should give Weasley a mote of credit, of course. I had not believed he had it in him.
His own relationship with Padma had hit a wall, but such was reasonable at their age. Had she acquiesced to his suggestions, as he was sure they were none too subtle for a clever witch as herself, he would have been glad of it, but he would have lost much of his respect for her. The Slytherin girls who had dabbled in dark magic supposedly required an Unbreakable Vow, but there was no proof of such things taking place, only rumors discussed late at night, usually with Firewhiskey involved.
The time to set out with Nott and Derrick came swiftly, and swiftly did he respond to it.
The way to the corridor was one he had taken many times, but he had competent help this time. Creevey is likely still hiding his face from me- very well, should I need him I shall find him, and should he work on something to counter his shame, all the better for me. Strangely, however, he found there were three Gryffindors waiting outside the witches' toilet. Derrick held up a hand.
Draco scowled at the delay, but his other vassal had something helpful up his sleeve; it was a curved glamour shield that deflected light around them. If we remain still, we should be mostly invisible. Rather than ask his allies what they might have heard, he honored the raised hand and waited.
To his surprise, a smattering of Hufflepuffs went down the stairs, going past them. Nott waited until they were out of earshot before speaking.
"My muffling spell has gone around the school like a plague," he whispered. "I scoured the texts for a counter, and I found an advanced charm that allows me to hear through such deception."
"I wager you have, but what of the next time your charm goes around?" Draco whispered, taking note of his vassal's belief the muffling charm was his own.
The six Hufflepuffs were mostly students he did not recognize, though he counted Megan Jones of his own year in their number. It seems Electrum has better things to do this evening. I can only imagine what. They reached the guarded door and accosted the guards, though they spoke in hushed tones.
"They want to pass," Nott explained. "They argue that there will be nothing to guard if the prisoners were dead. They know that if anyone gets in, the Aurors will take immediate action. They say the prisoners are Death Eater sympathizers. The guards say they are not."
It came to wands rather quickly, but he supposed the infiltrators had the advantage, numerically speaking. In the interest of implicating them and keeping the school from finding bodies, he restrained his vassal before he could fire anything lethal into their backs.
"Petrificus Totalus."
One of the older students dropped like a stone, but the battle continued until only one was still standing, and Draco petrified him as well.
"It always works out, though, does it not?" Nott asked rhetorically, waving a wand to move the immobilized bodies out of the way.
"Of course. Worry not with the heir of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy."
Derrick was rolling his eyes, but it was just as well. Though they were only partially joking, it was only evidence the commoners would never quite understand the nobility.
The secret entrance was already open, but it seemed his vassals shared his suspicions it would not be entirely unguarded. If their plan was to kill everyone inside in the event of a breach, there would be at least a sentry. He internally scowled at the notion of magical blood not being valued to such an extent, but it was par for the course. After the destruction of Azkaban, public sympathy for prisoners had tanked, and sympathy for policies that Crouch invented had essentially moved in the opposite direction. New facilities had been floated in the Ministry by well-meaning committee members as possible replacements, at least for some of the less dangerous captures, but the faction supported by the Department of Mysteries denied them as things were finally going their way. Death Eater sympathizers quietly joined them in hopes that the public would see they were being forced into kill-on-sight policies, which usually endangered bystanders, either by getting in the way when fights broke out, or when they were attacked in their homes rather than being arrested in their homes.
Derrick interrupted his thoughts by jumping down the hole in the floor, casting a silent stunner on the way down. A true feat of athleticism- let Crabbe and Goyle take note. He came back up with some additional difficulty.
"Door's got something of a layer of dust over it- hasn't been opened in days," he concluded.
"Our worst fears realize before our very eyes," Nott muttered. "We must be away, and quickly." he decided, moving toward the door. Another evening wasted. Our only hope is someone else having found him, lest we rely on the deal taking place.
Draco scowled internally a second time as they were out, stepping over the frozen students, some of whom were aware of their presence. It makes no matter, not in reference to our current predicament. The conspirators knew from the beginning that they were out enemies.
"Do you think anyone else has found Evan and Tracey?" Derrick asked.
"Let not your foolish hopes cloud your mind-" the other vassal started, though their leader raised a hand.
"No," he answered simply, taking the stairs slowly. "With little enough time to search before an alarm is raised, it is likely that none of us will discover them before Parkinson sets the time and place." Essentially, there was only so long they could look for the captives, because sooner or later the schools would notice Evan was missing and Professor Snape would be the first to be blamed, with the Tournament going on. "We might have another bargaining chip for our deal, however."
"I suppose we could capture some first-years," Derrick suggested as they rounded the corner at the landing, heading outside. We can assume Parkinson will not have changed the terms overmuch.
"Possible, but we would lose our status as being their protectors in a heartbeat," the Malfoy heir responded. "I acknowledge that it's not worth as much as Evan, but I believe we can yet bargain for him." My father will be disappointed at my failure in the duel, but I have not told him of my developments in the mind arts, so I should retain some excuse. Thus far, the plan was to argue that he had little choice but to support Evan in the duel he foolishly accepted. It was unlikely to work perfectly, as his father expected excuses and false representations of the situation, though it seemed unjust. "I have learned something about one of them, and it may yet be more valuable than her life."
"I assume asking about it would break it." the Beater responded. "Can't really agree not to say it if you've already said it."
They reached the grounds, quietly looking around for the others before they all came to the conclusion that they had not given Parkinson sufficient directions about where the exchange would take place, even a side of the castle.
"I expect sparks in the sky-" he lied, though not entirely transparently. Damn it all, I'm still making mistakes like this. I cannot afford to be risking the whole of the wizarding world with such-
"There they are." Derrick said quietly, wand out. It's the standard form of long-distance signaling.
Something of Draco's swagger returned to his step as they took their time going across the crowd. The laconic blood traitors would not spend too much time negotiating, but the deal would not be concluded without their presence.
Evan will be returned to us before long- it only makes it better that they well and truly have no idea what comes their way.