Fractal
Chapter Nine
A/N: Please note that the boy working for the 'creature' has BLACK hair and green eyes, not BROWN hair. Heh, now I bet you can guess who he is, ne? Sorry about this mix up, I will fix this mistake in later chapters when I have time! - Kelsey S.
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The next morning the entirety of Hogwarts was in a buzz; Draco Malfoy and another Ravenclaw girl were missing, along with the unicorn that Draco had brought in a few days before. Dumbledore rubbed his temples, sighing in a very melancholy manner. There was obviously something underlying going on here; Malfoy knew something about what was going on, and now that he was gone he wouldn't get to ask him! The Ministry representatives had arrived only a few hours ago, after Dumbledore had sent an owl about their current situation, and they were now doing a through looking into about Hagrid's most unfortunate death. Classes had been suspended until the investigation was finished and everything was all wrapped up. Many students had gone home to their parents until further notice, which Dumbledore thought was a good idea.
There was a knock at the door. Dumbledore was happy to have something to take his mind off what had happened, but it still hung over his shoulders; he called whomever was outside into his office, and Ron and Hermione came in, looking extremely haggard. It was understandable, as they were Hagrid's personal best friends.
"Harry couldn't come, professor. He's grieving right now." Hermione said, sniffling slightly. Dumbledore nodded understandingly, motioning for them to sit down.
"I've called you here to ask you some things." He said seriously. "I need to know if Hagrid ever mentioned anything about personal enemies and the like. I need to know anything of that nature, anything at all." Dumbledore said quite seriously. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then the headmaster. Ron started, clearing his throat.
"Well Prof, Hagrid and Harry had gotten into a fight recently that week..." He said softly, leaning forward in his chair. Hermione looked positively stressed about the matter, but said nothing. Dumbledore listened intently, practically gaping inside at what he heard...
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Draco yawned and stretched out on the cold dirt floor, his eyes focusing on the smooth rock of the cave ceiling. Saron had taken him and Kelsey to his home, which turned out to be about another fifteen minutes away from where they had been; fortunately, it was safe and secure. There was a glowing fire in the middle of the cave, the smoke from it escaping out of a small hole in the top, near where the small cave attached to the main mountain. Draco looked around him; Kelsey had already gotten up and was probably somewhere outside the cave; Saron was still sleeping soundly beside him, his head nuzzled against Draco's soft whitish hair.
There was a noise outside and Kelsey came in, carrying something in her arms. Draco sat up, feeling much better than he had last night. She held some sort of fruit out to him, and he grabbed it cautiously.
"Don't worry, it's safe. I know what kind of fruits these are." Kelsey said reassuringly, biting deep into her own fruit for demonstration. Draco nodded silently and bit into it, amazed at the sweet, juicy flavour. Soon he had finished it all and was stretching out his arms and legs in front of the warm fire.
"Well...that certainly was a night!" Draco mentioned, feeling involuntarily at his side for his wand. It was still there, attached to his belt through the night.
"Yes..." Kelsey said, thinking about how Draco had used such an evil curse on the creature. He had been justified in using it, yes, but still...it was not part of the Unforgivable Curses for nothing.
"What are we going to do now?" Draco asked suddenly, sitting up tall and crossing his legs in front of the fire. He closed his eyes momentarily, feeling the hot flames on his face; he felt stupid, not being able to answer his own question.
"Sssssstand up ssssslowly, boy." That voice! Draco immediately opened his eyes, finding himself looking right down the shaft of a wooden object, a wand. He held his hands up, looking up the barrel to the keeper of it; it was the creature! Kelsey was gagged and bound, being held back by two other beings in robes; they had a more human look and 'feel' to them, though he assumed that they were just as dangerous as the creature. Saron wasn't in the cave, though Draco knew that he would find his friend outside, probably bound in some way or another as well. One of the human figures grabbed Kelsey by the collar, lifted her up and took her outside into the bitterly cold morning air.
"Why did I have the feeling that I would see you again?" Draco said icily, taking on the tone he would take - or would have in the past - with anyone who crossed him. The creature studied him from underneath his hood. Though Draco could not see the piercing eyes, he knew that they were boring little mental holes in his mind.
"You are a perceptive young man, no doubt about that. You will make a perfect Death Eater, just like your father." The creature said, motioning for Draco to stand. He did, finding himself slowly being backed out of the cave. Sure enough, Saron was tied up in leg shackles and Kelsey was being held by one of the other Death Eaters. Death Eaters...the name suddenly sunk in and Draco finally realized whom he was dealing with.
"Voldemort!!!" He said, his eyes growing large. The creature nodded, taking up it's hands and drawing back it's hood. Draco was nearly sick right then and there; he was all pale, very bony and scaly-looking, and his eyes were red. The deepest crimson Draco had ever known. Kelsey, her mouth bound tightly with a strip of cloth, took sight of Voldemort and widened her eyes so large they were as watermelons, then she fainted in the arms of the Death Eater that was holding her. Voldemort nodded to the man holding her and he grabbed her, hoisted her up and put her on Saron's back.
"What are you doing with her!?" Draco asked, sounding quite angered. The pale-faced, extremely bald sorcerer looked deep into Draco's eyes, making him shudder.
"She'll make an excellent 'servant', don't you think? Young...beautiful....my Death Eaters will enjoy her very much." Voldemort said evilly, getting a rise out of the Death Eaters standing behind him. Draco felt his hands balling into fists as this comment.
"You will not!!" He shrieked, running forwards towards the lord, his legs coiled up and ready to launch his body towards the Dark Lord. Voldemort looked at him with a twinge of humour in his eyes, holding out his bony, withered hand. Draco could still see scars where he had hurt him the first time in the forest, not hours ago. Voldemort sent Draco flying backwards into a tree with a single motion of his hand, rendering the boy unconscious. He nodded to his loyal followers, who picked up the passed out Malfoy and carried him on his shoulder. The posse of Death Eaters retreated farther into the Forbidden Forest, even farther away from safety...
