I decided I would begin searching for answers immediately. I knew that one of the four Hogwarts houses had been Ravenclaw, and that was my first and only clue. Unfortunately it didn't take long for me to come to the conclusion that I would need to return to the base and get more information from the other Order members who were actually learned and experienced with Hogwarts.
I was about to disapparate when I paused with my wand raised somewhere on the second floor. I listened with my eyebrows knitting together, staring at a painting before me who stared right back in terror. It was of a stout man darning a white curly wig who had been badly vandalized with smears of black ink.
There was a loud clambering downstairs that sounded nothing short of concerning from how much cheering was going on. The commotion consisted of banging noises and raucous chanting. With a sinking dread in my heart I picked up my dress and bolted down the stairs.
Outside of the great hall Death Eaters were packed together, whispering to each other and shouting ahead. Ear splitting cracks of lightning were erupting as more and more of them arrived in random intervals. I shoved through the dense gathering with my heart in throat, not caring how some of them shot me threatening glares for my intrusion.
At the head of the crowd I froze and a chilling terror crawled across my nervous system. Draco stood before the dark lord in his black robes with his Death Eater mask in place. His sleek wand was pressed into the jawline of Lucas, who avidly peered around at the display of vicious criminals with wide green eyes. He was absolutely panicked with blood running aggressively from his nose, whimpering and struggling against Draco's firm grasp.
My heart stung ferociously with panic. "Silence!" The dark lord commanded and the mass rapidly quieted, yet low snickering still boldly ensued. A large snake drifted out from below Voldemort's robes and coiled at his feet as if preparing to strike, watching with beady black eyes.
The menacing grin etched across the dark lord's face once more as he directed his rosy glare onto Lucas, "Ssssso farrrr from home, are we?" Grunts of amusement echoed around the room in hushed tones.
Lucas tried to sink down in Draco's hold, but his long fingers were entangled in his curls in what looked to be a very painful hold. I took small, gentle steps through the crowd, inching speechless Death Eaters to the side until I was at the front, my eyes transfixed on both boys. It took everything that I had to maintain a straight face but my breathing was betraying me, coming out short and concentrated.
Draco stood still as a statue, only wavering microscopically as he stiffly entrapped the French boy before the dark lord. Lucas managed to twist his head enough to spot me in the circle and his mouth dropped open in horror. I clenched my jaw to prevent my face from showing any emotion as he digested my new appearance and my presence amongst the Death Eater's. "Madeleine...please..." he choked out, his trembling fingers outstretched to me. He had come looking for me, holding true on his word to find out why I had been missing for so long. And now it would be his demise.
Draco had tried to silence him by pushing his wand harshly into his throat but he'd been too late. My heart shuddered in my chest despite the dark magic in my veins. Voldemort craned his abnormally long neck around so that he was facing me accusatorially, and his red eyes met mine with determination. His voice left his face in a slither, "Do itttt, Draco."
I had no time to register what was happening. I saw Draco blink several times behind the mask in regret as he cast the killing curse. Lucas crumpled to the ground at his feet and Draco simply stared straight forward with wide eyes, as if by not looking down he wouldn't have to admit that he had just murdered the boy.
The dark lord never took his eyes from mine, waiting, desiring a reaction. When I retained my composure I felt my eyes begin to burn. It was nothing like when Draco had invaded my mind, the sheer force and pedigree of control was unprecedented. He went straight for any memories of Lucas in my mind, sifting through them like he was swiping on an iPad. I felt the sides of my vision blur and the room around me disappeared. All I could see were the menacing red orbs of the dark lord, becoming beadier and beadier in the white's of his eyes as he narrowed his search in my mind.
When he finally released me it was strategic and meant to hurt. I blinked and gasped, only to look up at the dark lord lifting Lucas' lifeless body in his talons. Draco stepped back a few feet from the sickening scene of transformation. Voldemort's jaw snapped and cracked, widening to a degree I had never imagined prior. The skin stretched morbidly to accommodate the angle of his opening jaw. His eyes vanished in his skull, only to show the white of the sclera. For a moment I watched in horror as I thought he surely was going to consume the body whole, but instead he achingly slowly clamped his massive jaw onto the shoulder of the corpse and punctured the jugular, consuming the still warm blood from the arteries within. Blood ran down the clothing of Lucas' body and fumed in bubbles around the exposed gums of the dark lord.
The room was silent. Most Death Eaters sent their eyes downwards. Even for the most sinister of characters, the performance was petrifying and unnatural.
I fought back nausea and dizziness as I watched the blood dripping onto the floor before me. I breathed in tiny spurts, forcing myself to remain upright with an incredible show of strength. When the dark lord had concluded his feast he let the body fall into the pool of blood at his feet and swirled on the spot, bringing his jaw back down to it's original form. He pointed at Lucius, "Ahh Lucius, my dear friend. Be a good ssservant, and remove the body to the manor. Take the other'sss with you as well - I have completed my replenishment for nowwww."
Lucius twitched on the spot, his eyes narrow and red. He reached forward, failed, then finally stepped forward on shaky legs to lift the young boy's body with his wand, no older than his own son's. He drifted it over behind the throne of snakes and what remained of the long professors dining table. I craned my neck with disgust to see that the bodies of several other very young students were piled there, drained and destroyed. The stench had been located.
The dark lord returned to his seat, petting the large snake at his side with a triumphant grin shot at me. I turned to leave, following the group of chattering Death Eater's out of the double doors. In the courtyard and I pressed my wand into my forehand, heaving behind a curtain of my hair in disgust at what I had just witnessed. The mark on the back of my neck stung, and I looked around the large outdoor space for the perpetrator. Draco had removed the mask, and his bright eyes landed on mine from where he had just come out of the doors. Around us Death Eater's were disapparating away. Black, mood depressing smoke stung the air thickly. I stared at him through the chaos for a moment and considered leaving him behind, not telling him about Denmark, breaking my word...
We were both thinking hard, standing meters apart. I had to push through my emotional desires to react instinctively and without logic. I stood my ground feeling paralyzed in both my ability to make a decision and to control my emotions. There was a dangerous tone of anger filling my heart that he had murdered Lucas in front of me, but it had not been his choice to make and deep down I knew this. He looked around himself and then took the steps slowly towards me.
When he reached me he kept moving, nodding his head away from the courtyard and down the viaduct bridge. Halfway across no one was around us and he finally spoke under his breath, "What did he see in your mind?" His face had now softened and worry was seeping across it.
"Lucas, only Lucas," I replied thinly.
"Nothing to do with myself or my family?" he asked curtly with an air of warning.
I stopped short, fighting rising infuriation, "'e seemed fairly focused on one thing. Your family should be fine. Unlike Lucas. You could 'ave sent 'im away, you did not 'ave to return wit' 'im."
He looked down at me with his wand twisting in his tightened knuckles, "He provided with me no choice but to capture him. He was a fool to come here." His eyes showed no remorse, no apology. He dug them into mine and I knew he was about to leave now that he had confirmation that his family was safe.
He stepped closer to me with terrible mistrust plastered on his pointy features, "Explain to me Madeleine, how I went from arguing with you at the manor to standing in the courtyard pathway. Why was last night erased?"
I rolled my neck back, "Because... you and I 'ave been to Hesselø. We are 'elping de Order prepare to raid de castle tomorrow and finalize dis once and for all. We 'ave to save 'arry - it was 'is plan to be brought 'ere in advance. You already said you would 'elp. Are you coming or not?" I held my hand out to him sharply, half expecting him to snarl and vanish.
He scanned my eyes, breathing hard, "He asked you to be brought here? Is that why you took the mark?"
I nodded, grinding my jaw in aggravation that I was now having the same argument twice, albeit much less harried the second time. He exhaled slowly, clearly realizing that if he had erased his mind in anticipation of that morning than what I was saying was probably true about the Order.
I looked down the viaduct where several Death Eaters were now lazily walking in our direction. "We need to leave now. Are you coming?" He wrapped his arm firmly in mine and nodded, and I jumped us to Denmark in one horrible, stretching, painful leap.
Back at the military base Order members were outside, casting spells at makeshift targets in anticipation of the final battle. They looked perfectly innocent and nearly adorable, casting and practicing together in their casual attire. My heart dropped for a moment, wondering if we really stood a chance against what I had just witnessed.
Draco rotated on the spot in surprise, taking in the changes that had been done to his prisoner camp. He was acting unusually calm and deferential, and I surmised it was due to the gruesome murder that had occurred moments before. His eyes shone with injury and trauma from his forced involvement.
It was late in the afternoon by this point but everyone was on edge as though having just chugged copious amounts of caffeine. The final battle was on the horizon and I felt in advance that I would get no sleep after having to dance that evening on top of everything else. Hermione approached us, with her hair pulled back in a messy bun, and I already knew what she was going to ask. I drifted my eyes up to Draco who suddenly appeared very lost and forlorn.
She crossed her arms and looked between our broken expressions. She suddenly tensed with fear, "What happened? Is Harry alright?" Her hand flew to her mouth in a panic.
"Potter is fine," I offered weakly, staring at the grass below my boots. Blood had splattered onto my toes from Lucas being eaten before me and had dried there to taunt me.
She relaxed only slightly, "Did anyone see him?"
I nodded, "I did. 'e is alive, in some kind of dungeon."
She ran her fingers over her forehead with relief, then turned to Draco, "We still need your help to train combatively. Can you manage that now?" Her eyes were so hopeful, so kind. He looked down at her with an ill face, probably wanting to go hide and confused by the statement.
"I see you're enjoying your freedom, Granger. Already bossing people around," he retorted pathetically. An awkward silence ensued. He finally sighed in the wake of her intense gaze, his shoulders dropping in defeat, "Fine. You have a few hours to blister my comfort with whatever questions you have. We're leaving again later." He followed her over to the makeshift training area they had set up and I left to go lie down, dreading the coming evening.