A/N: ::big grin:: I would like to thank The Great Hermione Fan and Landry Anne for their spiffy reviews

A/N: ::big grin:: I would like to thank The Great Hermione Fan, Landry Anne, KNA, for their spiffy reviews! You get a cookie! ::gives them a cookie:: Follow me all to…

Part 5: In the House of Voldemort

Draco stood in front of the mirror, smoothing his dark green velvet dress robes. He scowled at the mirror, trying to avoid going down to the private dinning hall for dinner. Dreselda, Dreselda Coeurnoire, I'm going to have to marry Dreselda Coeurnoire. Damn it. He heard his father's heavy tread coming up the stone stairs and quickly finished getting ready.

"Come, son. Your bride-to-be is waiting for you."

Draco shuddered inwardly. "Yes, Father."

"Where is the Rod, Draco?" asked Lucius severely.

"Over on the table, why?"

"You should wear it to dinner. It's mark of your status, and one of the reasons Vincent Coeurnoire was so eager to give his daughter to you."

"Of course, Father." Said Draco, attaching the Rod to his belt. Blasted thing, more trouble than it's worth.

He and Lucius walked through the stone corridors in silence up to the dark wood doors of the private dinning hall. Through the doors they went, into a dimly lit room where four people were seated around a medium-sized table. One was his mother, two he presumed were Dreselda's parents, and the fourth was,

"Draco, may I present to you Dreselda Coeurnoire." Said his mother rising from the table and leading a young woman with her.

If any woman ever deserved to be referred to as "ice queen" it was she. Her face was set in cold, stern features: proud cheekbones, a thin, delicate nose that was perfect for looking down at people, and ice-blue eyes that seemed to convey that she found everything in the world lacking to her standards. She managed to make a thin, cruel smile and sweep into a perfect curtsy, murmuring, "I am glad to finally meet the man that everyone talks about." in a cool voice.

Draco, trying not to grimace, bowed stiffly, and replied, "I'm sure the pleasure's all mine." Not!

He was the introduced to Dreselda's parents, Vincent and Nicea, and the six sat down to eat fancy, unsatisfying food, and make polite conversation. This is probably what the rest of my life will be like. Fan-bloody-tastic.

* * *

"I'm nervous, oh I'm nervous, why am I so nervous?" mumbled Hermione her voice gradually scaling up in pitch.

"Calm down, you're making me nervous." said Ron with a small grin.

"But what if it doesn't work? What if we get caught?"

"Well," said Harry, "I guess we better hope that Voldemort is a James Bond type of villain, leave the heroes en route to death without making sure that they actually get killed."

Ron and Fae gave him odd looks. "Muggle stuff," he explained.

They were in the Library, engaged in various activities. Ron was absentmindedly inspecting his wand for and chips, scratches, or other flaws. Fae was searching through some of the older-looking books, trying to find any information about the Rod, Hermione alternately helping her and pacing around the room while wringing her hands and mumbling things. Harry was staring up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head, trying to keep his mind clear of thoughts such as, "This will never work," and "we'll never get out of this alive."

Dumbledore entered the room. "It is time. Come, I'll take you to Hogsmede." He then walked out of the room, the four of them following him.

At the great front doors of the castle, they got into slightly larger versions of those musty carriages that used to take them to and from the train station when they were students. Dumbledore looked more serious than Harry had even seen him. The twinkle in his eye was still there, but it looked more stern and purposeful. This only served to make Harry more apprehensive.

At Hogsmede they went down into the cellar of Honeyduke's, (where their bodies would be kept while they were Projecting.) Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Fae, sat down together in a circle. Closing their eyes, they called up two mental pictures. One was of those warm, golden lights that shone like miniature suns. The other was of the dungeon to which they were headed. As they concentrated, the image of the lights super-imposed itself onto the image of the dungeon, and they felt that familiar rippling sensation, as well as a new sensation: one of being blown in a breeze, like a leaf or a seed. The last thing they heard was Dumbledore's voice wishing them good luck.

It felt darker, colder, and ominous. They opened their eyes and found themselves in the very dungeon that they had imagined. They were not alone.

"About time you got here," muttered their old Potions master, "I've been waiting half the night." He might have been, without question, on their side, but he was still the same, old, sour Snape.

"Well we're here now," said Ron. Looking like he was fighting back a glare.

Snape glanced around at the new arrivals. "Who's she?" he said, pointing an accusing finger at Fae.

"My name, dear sir, is Fae. I was sent here to help you get the Rod back," she said with a half-annoyed, half-amused look.

"Sent? By whom?"

"By Niamh, Queen of the Unicorns. I assume her word and judgement are trustworthy to you," she added pointedly.

"Yes, they are. Now, I've figured out who is in possession of the Rod."

"Who?" they all asked at once.

"Draco Malfoy."

"Figures," muttered Ron, slamming a fist into his hand.

"Who is Draco Malfoy?" whispered Fae to Harry.

"An evil git we used to go to school with," he replied.

"How was he evil?" she asked.

"He was a magical purist, and his family's full of Dark wizards. Not to mention his dad is one of Voldemort's closest supporters."

"Oh. This is not good," she replied.

"Tell me about it," said Harry.

"As much as I would love to stand here while you two whisper, I think we ought to be looking for that Rod. I suggest we try Draco's room since he is at dinner right now."

"Of course, sir," said Fae with a forced smile. "Is he always like this?" she whispered to Harry

"He's usually worse," he replied with a half-grin.

They found their way to Malfoy's rooms with only a small amount of difficulty in the form of two guards who Snape just walked past, and the other four clarified themselves while following him. However, the Rod was nowhere to be found.

"Great!" said Ron. "Now what?"

Hermione paused, thinking. "Malfoy's probably not going to let the Rod out of his sight. I think we'll need to Project back and then Apparate here. Professor, you can find him and tell him that you need to talk with him about something. We can sneak up behind him, wearing the Invisibility cloak and steal it from him."

Snape scowled. "I can think of at least a hundred things that could go wrong with that plan, but as it's our only hope, we'd better try it."

"Alright," said Fae, "now where's some water?"

"What? What do you need water for?" asked Snape.

"To Project back, of course," she replied.

"Hey there's a pitcher over here-Hey! I can see the lights in it!"

"But of course," said Fae. "Come on, let's gather around it."

They did, and they all saw the points of silver and blue light dancing in the water, except of course for Snape.

"Meet us back in the dungeon, and we should be there fairly soon," said Hermione.

Snape nodded, turned and walked out of the room.

"Ready?" asked Harry. The others nodded. "Let's go."

The focused on the lights and felt the pulling sensation of returning to their bodies, only stronger since they were being pulled over a larger distance. They opened their eyes and found themselves in the cellar of Honeyduke's once more. Hedwig was perched on the stair rail.

"Hedwig! Thank goodness you're here! I need you to send a message to Dumbledore." He found a scrap piece of parchment on the basement floor, and Hermione lent him a quill, always having one in her pocket "just in case." He quickly scribbled

Professor-Malfoy has the Rod, we're Apparating back to Voldemort's castle to try and steal it from him. –Harry

He then tied the note to Hedwig's leg and she flew up the stairs and out of sight.

"Time to Apparate," he said, taking the Invisibility cloak from behind the boxes, where he had hidden it that morning. They got under it, but all four of them couldn't fit without being seen.

"Damn it! What are we going to do now?" said Ron irritably.

"Well, that's easy," replied Fae. "You three get under the cloak and I'll go visible. Don't look at me like that, Hermione! No one will recognize me as one of the good guys, they'll probably just think I'm a servant or something."

"I still don't think it's a good idea, but at least it's an idea," said Hermione resignedly.

They Apprarted into the same dungeon, just as Snape was walking through the barred door. He looked around for the other three.

"We're here," said Harry from under the invisibility cloak.

"Follow me, I'll take you to where Draco is dining tonight."

They walked up several flights of stairs, and down several passageways to a large, empty dining room with a porter standing outside. The crumpled napkins, crumbs, and pushed back chairs showed that it had just recently been vacated.

"I'm looking for Draco Malfoy," Snape told the porter. "I was told that he was dining here tonight," he added pointedly.

"Young Master Malfoy has just left. He is currently escorting Miss Coeurnoire back to her rooms."

"And where might Miss Coeurnoire's rooms be?" asked Snape.

"In the East Wing," Snape started to open his mouth but the porter continued, "and no, I can't give you a better answer than that. My domain is here, in the Dining Halls, I never go to the East Wing. Now, I have several rooms to tidy and I must bid you goodnight." With that he trounced into the room and slammed the door in their faces.

"Cheerful bloke ain't he?" said Ron disparagingly.

"Bet he wouldn't talk to me like that if he knew some of the Potions I could give him," muttered Snape bitterly.

"So," said Harry, "Can you take us to this East Wing?"

"Unfortunately, no. Voldemort is a big fan of keeping people in their places. So I've never been there either, and I would probably attract suspicion if I went."

"So how are we going to get there?" asked Ron.

"Just go east, you'll run into it eventually."

"You call those directions?" said Ron irritably.

"Well it's the best you're going to get, so take it or leave it," Snape replied with a glare in Ron's general direction. "Someone over there will be able to help you find Coeurnoire's rooms."

"This ought to be exciting." Ron muttered. "Well, let's get on with it."

"I'll do that Compass spell," said Harry. "Point me. Let's see, east would be, to our left."

"Goodbye, Professor. It was…interesting meeting you," said Fae.

Snape arched an eyebrow. "The same to you."

The four headed to their left and Snape headed to the right. After getting turned around, lost, and just generally confused, they finally reached the East Wing. They found a footman sitting in a chair in the hallway. Fae walked up to him.

"Excuse me, I seem to have gotten lost. Could you direct me to miss Coeurnoire's rooms?"

The porter stared at her for a moment, and Fae was worried that he was going to start raving about how this was the North-East Wing, not the East Wing, and how was he supposed to know his way around the East Wing since he'd never been there; but he replied, "Down that hall, turn left, the door in the right just before the Hallway takes a right-hand turn."

"Thank you," said Fae, heading in that direction, hoping the others were following her.

* * *

Draco walked throughout the rabbit warren of the East Wing, arm-in-arm with Dreselda. She had a death-grip on it, and he was very tempted to try and chew it off, if for no other reason, to escape her vapid conversation, and constantly hearing phrases such as "Now when we are married," "Our children will," and "Doesn't that sound simply marvelous, my Draco." I'm not "your Draco." I would rather stand in the middle or Diagon Alley in magenta robes, and make-up, and sing "I Feel Pretty" while doing ballet than be "your Draco." At least I've almost got her to her room. But of course she'll probably invite me in. he shuddered.

They turned the corner to her hallway and-

"Ow!" cried Dreselda.

"Ow!" cried another girl who ran into her. The girl fell over onto the floor.

"Stupid wench!" cried Dreselda, kicking the girl, "How dare you plow into me, you clumsy servant!" she tried to kick her again, but the girl rolled out of her way, and got to her feet. Draco thought he saw a brief flash of anger pass through the girl's eyes. And what nice eyes they are. He thought, looking at her. She was, he thought, an extremely beautiful girl. And, she doesn't make my body temperature drop just looking at her. Damn it! Why can't she be Dreselda?

"I'm sorry, Mistress," the girl said, curtsying. "It won't happen again." Draco thought her heard her gasp and saw her eyes fixate on the Rod. She looked at him. "Would you be Draco Malfoy?" she asked

"Of course he Draco Malfoy, you pitiful idiot! He's my little Draco." She said Grabbing he arm and batting her eyelashes at him.

I think I'm gonna be sick. "Yes, I'm Draco Malfoy, why?"

"I, uh," she hesitated, and it seemed to Draco like she was doing some fast thinking, "I have a message for you from…your father." She glanced at Dreselda, "He…said it was for your ears only."

"I understand completely. Goodnight, Dreselda." He said, bobbing his head, and quickly hurrying down the hall with the girl. "Thank you," he said once they were down another corridor and out of hearing. "I can't stand her."

"I can't say I blame you," said the girl, angrily, as she glared back down the hallway and rubbed her side where she'd been kicked.

"I'm sorry about that," he said, and, strangely enough, he was. He didn't usually care what happened to the staff, he'd even kicked one or two very stupid ones.

"Um, let's talk in here," she said leading him over to a room whose door was ajar.

"Alright," he replied, following her into the room. She held the door open for a moment after he had entered and them shut it.

A/N2: Yes, that's kind of a odd place to end the chapter, but this thing is already nine pages long, and if I don't end it here I'll have to go on for a few pages more…Looks like Draco has a little crush, will his affections be returned? Will the others steal the Rod back? If so how? (I have no idea…) Stay tuned to learn more about the Rod and Fae.