Veritas 19
Sorry, sorry, sorry for the delay. It's been a miserable week, but now I finally have a moment so all this (which has been running about my head) gets down on paper. And it too has been a source of nagging anxiety, of course. So, I really hope this works & you all like. I'm putting up the last chapter too, so no suffering!
Note on chapter 18: It is imperio; my beta bloke missed that. Moron. Well, both of us actually, so I guess that's moroni….
Okay, this has nothing to do w/anything, but I have to share my favourite old "damn you're over educated" joke – scroll past if you've heard it a million times.
A man walks into a bar in ancient Rome and tells the bartender, "Give me a martinus".
The bartender looks at his and asks, "Don't you mean martini?"
The man looks at him and says, "If I want two, I'll ask for them."
So – I'm not even gong to try and summarize this. It got a few screams from the gang here….
Disclaimer – all Rowlings, except those that aren't hers….
***
Sirius kept his eyes on Malfoy, not daring to look at Draco. What the hell is he doing here?
Malfoy stared at Sirius for a few moments; neither moved. Just as Sirius was about to say something, however, he saw Malfoy's eyes take a very quick surprised glance behind Sirius' shoulder, in the direction of one of the doors leading to the back hallway. Remus, I told you to stay….
Sirius was suddenly wracked with a blinding pain, and his whole body went rigid, before he fell to the floor, stunned, unable to move and barely able to breathe, like something had closed around his throat. He felt Pembroke fall next to him heavily. He tried desperately to at least lift his head enough to see who was behind him, but couldn't. He could feel his heart racing, and saw Malfoy take a few steps closer, motioning for Draco to come with him. More than we thought? How did they get past Liz and Dexter….
"Well, well, well, Malfoy. You have been careless as of late."
Sirius could not believe he was hearing what he thought he was. Impossible….
Malfoy raised an eyebrow at this, but replied, calmly, "We haven't seen you for a while. I hadn't thought you would be back. Interesting."
"As ever, Malfoy, I have my own things to tend to."
"So it would seem, Harker. Exactly what are you doing here with these two?"
Sirius could see sweat starting to pour down Pembroke's face as Malfoy leaned down to look more closely at them. He felt frozen to the bone, too stunned to even think, as he suddenly noticed Liz walk up to him and Pembroke. She knelt down to pick up their wands, and tucked them into her pocket. He stared at her, unable to believe that she… All along. She's been part of them all along…no, NO! It's can't be true. She didn't catch his eye, and Sirius could see that she had on her usual calm, relaxed and self-assured expression. She rose to her feet again and casually went to stand next to Draco. She gave him a quick look, but Draco didn't flinch and stood there in his own cold and detached fashion. Liz faced Malfoy with a small smile.
"I've been keeping an eye on things. Pembroke's been very busy as of late, hasn't he?"
Sirius' heart leapt. She's setting him up….
Pembroke was now struggling so hard he actually managed to move a little. His face had gone red from the strain and his eyes were terrified. Malfoy just smiled more maliciously.
"So, I was right about you. You've been helping this worthless cousin of yours all along. And you were trying to trap us in this house."
Pembroke was able to shake his head wildly, but he still couldn't speak. Sirius, able to move slightly himself now, looked more closely at Liz and Draco. They seemed to be staring at each other. It's like she's trying to see what he's up to… Liz turned from Draco, however, as Malfoy stood up again. He gave Pembroke a kick to roll him over a few times and move him away from Sirius. Malfoy then waved his wand and muttered a spell, setting up a ring of fire around Pembroke, then turning and doing the same with Sirius. He knelt down again beside Sirius and gave him a furious stare.
"I'll deal with you in a minute, Black. You're going right to the Ministry, and you'll be given the kiss without question. I will be rid of you once and for all. Did you find your actions this morning amusing? I hope it was worth it."
Liz raised an eyebrow at Lucius as he stood and turned to Pembroke again.
"That one; plain as day, was in London this morning."
Liz gave a laugh.
"Really? I wondered where he went to when he left here. I thought it better to keep an eye on that one."
Malfoy walked to the edge of the circle of fire and stared down at Pembroke.
"Yes. Traitors are our biggest concern. My son is here to see what happens to traitors. Soon he will be an adult and will take his rightful place with us. He needs to see what real loyalty to a cause is all about."
Sirius caught Draco's eye at this comment. Draco looked pained and gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Sirius looked quickly at Liz, then back at Draco. Draco checked to see that his father wasn't paying any attention to him, then quietly raised an eyebrow. Sirius nodded just as slightly. He tried to smile a bit, but wasn't sure if he'd managed it, as Draco suddenly turned and walked up to his father's side.
"Father, are you so sure Pembroke is what you think he is? Maybe he captured Black and was going to hand him over. You haven't given him a chance to speak."
Pembroke looked so relieved at this he seemed about to burst into tears. But Malfoy didn't look at him and faced his son with a stoic expression. Liz risked a glance at Sirius, who kept his eyes firmly on Draco, wondering what the boy was up to.
"Draco. Pembroke was unaccounted for when that one and Lupin escaped last year. You said that someone had attacked you, and I have suspected that it was him for a while. He has been very eager to please. Too eager. Never, never, trust anyone who is so desperate for your acceptance. You know that. I will admit," and here Malfoy's face grew very tight, "that I made an error in allowing Wormtail to convince me to leave Pembroke to guard the safe house we have lost."
Sirius couldn't believe his ears. Peter…he was there. If we hadn't, we might have…. Sirius let out a strangled gasp of frustration and tried to turn over onto his back. Always so close, but never close enough.
Malfoy looked over at Sirius with a cold smile. "Yes, how disappointing for you, Black. Not many people know, do they? And nobody's telling, I can assure you. He won't live much longer anyway, he's much too dangerous. Quite deranged. But he seems of use to his Lordship right now, so he still breathes. I haven't yet decided if, perhaps, he allows some old feelings to cloud his judgement on some things. I would be a fool not to suspect, after what happened, that maybe he left Pembroke there deliberately, but alas, I cannot prove it."
With that, he turned back to Pembroke. "Or can I? Perhaps you can shed some light on this situation."
He took his wand and, after making the flames of the holding circle flare up and burn Pembroke slightly, suddenly had Pembroke on his feet. He bound his hands behind his back, and then released whatever spell Liz had put on him to prevent him speaking with a chuckle.
"You are your grandfather's protégée, aren't you Harker? Haven't seen that one used in a while."
"Malfoy, don't …she's…." Pembroke stopped as Malfoy waved an angry hand.
"I would suggest, Black, that you keep quiet unless I ask you a question."
Pembroke was too terrified and too panicked to stop himself.
"You're wrong! About everything! I am no traitor, I am a worthy servant and you are being used!"
Malfoy cursed Pembroke again. Pembroke screamed and fell to his knees; but he wouldn't stop talking. As soon as he could he looked back up at Malfoy. Sirius saw that his face was now burned from being too near the flames, but Pembroke didn't seem to notice. He was furious now, apparently more angry than frightened.
"It wasn't me! Are you so blind? It was that boy! He's the one! He's not part of your cause, Malfoy! He's the one behind most of this!"
Malfoy was to shocked to move at first. He just stood there, between Liz and Draco, watching Pembroke. Sirius actually, in that instant, felt sorry for Pembroke, because he wasn't going to survive what he'd just said. He might have made it alive out of all of this, but not now. Even if Draco…. No. Draco is not with them. He may not be entirely with us, but he is no Death Eater.
Pembroke continued, screaming now, blood and tears streaming down his face. "How do you think they broke your circle? How could they possibly have done that without his blood? How!? Draco let them go; and it was Draco who got you out of the house that night!
Malfoy snapped. "Crucio!"
At this, the two other Death Eaters who had stood until then at the back of the dining room by the doors stepped forward. Sirius could see Draco's face tense, but he did not look at them, instead he kept his eyes focused on Pembroke, twisting and writhing under the spell. Liz watched Draco's face closely, and then spoke to Malfoy.
"Malfoy…."
Lucius Malfoy ignored her, instead stopping his curse and stepping to the very edge of the flames to stare down at Pembroke.
"How dare you accuse my son like this to save yourself! Black and Lupin are talented and powerful wizards. With guidance from you, they could easily, easily, have figured a way to use another's blood. Blood freely given for any spell is powerful enough. So you are the one who's been spreading these rumours about him, to save your own worthless life, and to try and destroy us!"
Pembroke, for whatever reason, still did not keep quiet. "It is Draco! That boy has been helping them, can't you see? He didn't kill them then and he's not going to do it now….And that woman…."
Lucius moved with such staggering swiftness they couldn't have stopped him if they tried. Pembroke never had a chance; he was dead in an instant.
Nobody moved for a few seconds, when suddenly Malfoy looked back up from Pembroke's body and over at Sirius.
"Them. Of course; the werewolf's here somewhere. You two, go find him. But don't kill him, I want to do it. I lost my chance before, but this time it will make no difference, and there will be no witnesses…."
Sirius was unable from his vantage point to really tell what happened next. Liz seemed to step up next to Malfoy and gave a vague looking smile that Sirius would have bet even money on that she'd picked up right from Remus. What's she doing? He heard the footsteps of the other Death Eaters moving away when suddenly he saw Draco turn, behind his father's back, and raise his wand.
At that instant, Pembroke's robes, too close to the circle that still lay around his body, burst into flames. As Malfoy turned, Liz suddenly moved and released Sirius from the spell that was holding him. He heard more people suddenly enter the room, and Malfoy looked back up.
"Lupin! I knew it!"
Sirius jumped up, and Liz quickly handed him his wand before racing over to Draco and grabbing him away from the fire which now roared, feeding off the old dry wood of the table and chairs, and the ancient rug. Because it was a dark spell, the fire had an unusual intensity and ferocity. Sirius quickly brought down the circle around him and looked up for Remus and Dexter, whom he assumed had come in behind him. The smoke and flames were now very dense, and he got no reply when he shouted, except a spell suddenly shot past him and Malfoy reappeared from the other side of the table.
"Not again, Black!"
Sirius was still a little numb from the effects of the binding spell, but he managed to at least hold Malfoy back momentarily with a flash of blinding light as he stepped back closer to the back doors. But it was only a momentary respite as suddenly his wand was pulled from his hand. He swung back to see Malfoy standing there, more enraged and more furious than he had ever seen him.
"I said not again!"
Sirius fell to his knees as Malfoy cursed him at the top of his lungs, moving forward. This is it…Remus get out of this house….
Malfoy said something that made the flames roar even more strongly, practically building into wall of fire behind him.
"I have wanted so much to see you get the kiss, Black, but this will have to do. I must finish this now, as I cannot afford to lose this house…."
Malfoy stopped as he fell forward, stunned. Sirius was able to just make out someone reaching for him, pulling him back towards the last door not engulfed in flames.
"Get up, Black," said Draco. "I can't carry you and I don't know where the others…."
Remus suddenly appeared on his other side, helping Draco. He was coughing furiously and his face was black with soot.
"There are others outside in front. Dexter and Liz are dealing with them. Draco, how many came with you?"
Sirius was on his feet now, and they stumbled towards the door.
"Five…."
"LET GO OF MY BOY!"
Draco's face had a look of utter terror as he turned back to see his father, moving with difficulty, struggling towards them. He was shaking from head to toe, obviously fighting the effects of the stunning spell as best he could. Malfoy managed to take advantage of their momentary surprise to curse at Sirius once more.
Malfoy was fast, but not fast enough. Sirius turned quickly, pushing Draco and Remus away from him, and felt the spell move past him. Something hit him from behind, though, something heavy. He didn't have time to look, and he couldn't risk taking his eyes off Malfoy. He could no longer see Draco or Remus through the smoke and flames. He moved backwards towards one of the rear doors. Malfoy tried again to curse him, but he was drained, and Sirius was able to turn and bolt out of one of the doors. It was open, at least, so he assumed that Remus and Draco had got out. He raced down the hall towards the back room where there was a door that led outside.
As he rounded the corner, he ran into Remus and Draco. Remus looked horrified as he stared at Sirius. What?
Remus just blinked once then turned to Draco.
"Get him outside. I'll make sure your father gets out."
"No."
"Draco…."
"Let him burn."
Sirius shook his head, but suddenly found he couldn't speak as a blinding pain shot across his back. He looked at Remus, his vision suddenly getting very cloudy. Was I cursed? I can't feel anything….
Sirius could vaguely hear muffled voices, but everything suddenly seemed to fade into a still silence, and he felt utterly calm. He seemed to fall forward onto his knees in slow motion, but instantly felt arms grasping him and pulling him up. The blinding pain came back at that, and he felt, not heard himself scream. But now he was moving forward somehow, and where everything had been in slow motion, now he seemed to be racing forward at a blinding speed. Just like when I had my bike….
He couldn't see Remus, but he knew that he was there somehow. Sirius tried to say something, but he seemed unable to remember how. Remus?
He suddenly realized he was outside. He blinked at the dark star filled sky he could see hanging above him. What did my mother see? Did it really all mean something? He felt overwhelmingly tired. Even the pain in his back seemed to vanish as he gazed out at the inky sky and watched the lights of the stars seem to blur into hazy orbs rather than distinct points. He couldn't hear anything at all now, but he didn't really seem to care about that anymore. He gazed at the stars, then blinked, and his head seemed to clear momentarily. Right there in front of him he could see the Dog Star, as cold, calm, and quiet as himself.
Such a silly name, father. Perhaps you had a sense of humour after all.
Sirius blacked out.