A/N: you are really wonderful reviewers! I got 75 reviews in the last two days! Thank you all!!!

THERE'S SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL YOU: LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME TO REVIEW THEIR STORIES. I HAVE TO ASK FOR YOU PATIENCE, BECAUSE I AM AT COLLEGE WITH TERRIBLY LOT TO STUDY. I DO HAVE A LIFE BESIDES FFNET. I'LL TRY TO READ YOUR STORIES (ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE NOT LONG), BUT CAN'T PROMISE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU.

PadmeSkywalker: yeah, for Neville nothing goes right – but wait till you see what I'll do to him! You'll be surprised!

clara2000: No, they won't erase Dudley's memory – what would it be good for? It's obvious that Dudley wouldn't talk to anyone about his trips to Hogwarts (people in the Muggle world would think he's gone crazy and his parents… I can't even imagine what they'd do.) So I'm not erasing his memories.

zach: is my story REALLY as good as Draco Dormiens? This is one of the biggest compliments I could get, because DD is absolutely perfect!

Star Jumper: I understand that you (and everyone else) want Harry to get back to Ginny right now, but you need to understand that things have to happen before that happens, because it will have a great role in the story-line. I promise to make Harry regain his memories before chapter 30… (lol, I hope you aren't too scared about such a long story…)

DragonSinger: so your friends also read it? Glad to hear!!!

Cho: you asked what my mother tongue was: Hungarian - just like the Horntail dragon, lol ((I have a couple of tamed Hungarian Horntails in the back-garden with invisibility spells cast on them. The neighbours are getting pretty curious about the roars coming from my place and the huge flames appearing out of nowhere…))

kaylin: I'm happy that you found Snape hilarious – it was intended to be hilarious. I wanted to show him being fair for a change and punishing a Slytherin (Milli) when she deserved it.

Cathie: sorry, Harry won't bump into anyone who could be you… I hope you don't mind.

Tilulu: oh, heavens, NO! I'd never make Ginny fall in love with Neville!!!!! Making Dudley fall for Millicent was enough for extreme crushes!

Hermione Granger: I'm not writing the story this fast – it is already ready. All I have to do is make some smaller changes before I post a chapter. I couldn't possibly write it so fast, especially with my exams so near…

Pampered Tigeress: are you gonna read the whole story again??? Wow! It really must be good then! *grin*

Katarina the Great: you asked what I meant by "the girl, who will?" Well, it is an unfinished sentence, leaving the rest to your imagination (but of course only for a while, because soon – in a couple of weeks – you'll get to know what Ginny will do.)

Lololo: so many people urging me to finish! Hey, have patience! I will finish it in 2001, promised! You have read about two-thirds of the fic.

jennaration: there'll be a scene with Harry and Millicent (and other people) at the end of the story, but you'll have to wait a bit for it.

Shaun Wilson: I do think that Dudley is sooooo stupid that he'd still be watching Pokemon. I never knew that Dumbledore was 150 in GoF. Where do you know it from?

Avada Kedavra: thank you very much for crowning me! I'm honoured!

Shaldna: oh, my! I hope you weren't too tired next day after you spent the whole night reading my fic! Glad to hear that your friends like it too.

K-K: you wrote: "hurray! they're finally going to find out where Harry is!" – sorry, but they won't – yet. How could they? Draco doesn't know where he is, only that he is amnesiac. But don't worry, you'll have Harry back before chapter 30. About Dudley and Milli… you'll get what you want *wink*. Well, about the baby's gender… *another wink*

Tayla Riddle: thank you, but it is by now ways better than JK! She is the most perfect writer in the whole world, and no one can be as good as her! She is my idol!

cleo: Azkaban for Draco? No, I won't be that rude…

Pixie48449: yes, she most definitely will have the baby in the story. (wait three more chapters!)

Mikey: you asked whether Malfoy had got rid of his paint. No, he hasn't. Lol. (but it's really not important in the story, I just wanted to make ridicule of him back in chapter 14)

ilovelinkinpark222: have you printed it out? REALLY??? I'm 20, by the way.

Achintya: oh, no! I won't hurt Dudley! He's a git, but I do like him, since he is so funny…

Super says-jin Gotan: yes, Harry is gonna come back to England, though not yet. Yes, Gildy will be cured, right in the next chapter. And yes… poor Malfoy (like him too!)

Nefertiti: I'm gonna have a look at your website, I promise!

LilBit: oh, you poor one! I hope it didn't hurt too much when you bit your hand!

Atlanta Zora: *sigh* I wish I could have seen the movie… 12 more days to go until it comes out in Hungary! (But I already have tickets for the first and the fourth day! I'm gonna see it twice in four days!)

Urgh… I was long. Sorry, but I wanted to answer as many reviews as possible.

Enjoy!

Chapter 23

Fall of the Malfoys

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville exchanged bewildered looks. What was the headmistress planning to do?

Well, surely interrogate Malfoy – but what about Snape? What would HE do? Protect Draco? Very likely.

Not much later the fifth-year Slytherin returned, followed by Malfoy (still having blue and purple stripes in his hair) and his two confused sidekicks.

The fifth-year must have told no details to Draco, since he looked pale, but quite calm as he entered the Great Hall. His calmness disappeared at once, when he caught the first glimpse of Dudley. He didn't expect ever seeing him again – the fat boy was just a tool in his hand and once he had made use of him, Draco just threw him away. He thought that he'd done a favour to Dudley, too, and was confident that the Dursley boy wouldn't disturb him anymore.

No such luck.

Draco – the very smart and sly Draco – left Dudley's love for Millicent out of consideration. He never supposed that Dudley'd be brave – or stupid – enough to turn up at Hogwarts again. Still, Dudley did.

Malfoy swallowed hard and approached the group of students and teachers.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall?" he asked, his tone low, his lips white and trembling.

"This young man here," Minerva pointed at Dudley, "asserts to have met you earlier, and you gave him a potion to poison Harry Potter. Is this true?"

"NO!" Draco shook his head. "This is a Muggle, professor! I can't imagine why a prudent headmistress like you would ever believe a word of a clearly mentally subnormal guy like this… this… who-knows-who."

"I have a feeling that you actually know who this boy is, and I have all reasons to believe HIM, and not YOU, Mr. Malfoy. So, you'd better admit everything – it may be regarded as a mitigating circumstance." Professor McGonagall replied calmly, turning to Snape. "You share my opinion, Severus, don't you?"

"Of course." the Potions teacher answered through gritted teeth. His face had a nasty shade of greenish-yellow.

Malfoy's face, on the other hand, was as white as a sheet – no one had seen him this pasty before.

Ginny's complexion was the total opposite of his: deep red with fury.

"Well, Mr. Malfoy? Would you let us in on the details?" the headmistress' voice pressed.

"I won't talk in the presence of the Weasleys and Granger." Draco crossed his arms, forcing himself to look as superior as possible.

"Very well, Malfoy, you know where my office is, don't you?" McGonagall replied.

The boy shook his head.

"Professor Snape, would you please take Draco up to my room?" she turned to Dudley: "You are free to leave, boy, but never ever come back, understood? The floo-network is no playground for Muggles."

"But… Millicent…" Dudley mumbled.

"Buy an owl and talk to her in mails, Mr. Dursley." Minerva said, clearly indicating that she finished their discussion.

"Okaaaay." the fat boy sighed, dropped the tablecloth that was still draped over his shoulders, and stepped to the fireplace, throwing floo powder into the flames. "Mrs. Figg's house!"

As Dudley disappeared, McGonagall turned her attention to the students. "Go up to your dorms, kids. Good night."

"Good night???" Ginny yelled, outraged. "I WANT to hear Draco's admission. As the offended party's fiancee, I have the right to…"

"Ms. Weasley!" Snape cut in. "Let me remind you that there are only two people at Hogwarts who have the right to decide who has rights, and to what: Professor McGonagall and myself."

"But…" Ginny protested.

"Ginny," McGonagall stepped to her, putting her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "I know how you feel now. I'm aware that it is you who is suffering the most, but I ask you to be patient. I promise to inform you as we get to know something."

Ginny nodded, watching the teachers leave.

"C'mon, let's go upstairs." said Hermione. "When McGonagall feels ready to tell us about Draco's admission, she'll do so."

"But I want to know it right now! It's about Harry!"

"I know, Ginny… She'll tell us."

Ginny murmured something like she wasn't convinced and left her brother and Hermione.

* * * * *

"I couldn't sleep at all." Ginny said over breakfast. "So I visited Hedwig. Poor owl… Since Harry got lost, she is… well… if I didn't know that animals couldn't commit suicide, I'd say that Hedwig is deliberately starving herself to death. The other owls started to bring her mice because she refused to go hunting, but she still wouldn't eat! You can't imagine how terrible she looks – bag of bones! I barely managed to persuade her to eat half a mouse!"

"I've never seen an owl this faithful…" Hermione replied sadly.

"I don't know what exactly Malfoy did," Ron said, "but I hope that at last another 200 points will be taken from Slytherin."

"200 points?" Hermione snapped. "Is your friend worth that little to you? Malfoy deserves to be expelled for this! And that Dudley should be sent to jail!"

"I'd send Draco into Azkaban!" Ginny added, pouring herself a double portion of milk and taking a second helping of Yorkshire pudding, while Hermione got lost in Beautiful Bill's Biography, fourth volume.

"Isn't it a bit too much for you, sis?" Ron remarked.

"Much? Nay. I've been starving for days… I tried to persuade myself that it had nothing to do with my condition, but I was clearly deceiving myself… I'm hungry… I'm eating for two, you know."

"Yes, just feed my nephew well." Ron grinned.

"Your niece, you mean." Ginny corrected.

"Wanna bet?" the boy suggested.

"Okay." she nodded. "What's the stake?"

Ron shrugged. "Dunno… if I lose – which is out of the question – you'll get Pigwidgeon. You named him, after all."

"Good." Ginny agreed. "And if I lose – which is not likely, since women know things like this better than men – so, if you win, I'll never ever tell anyone about your little incident in the toilet. Remember that, don't you?"

Ron turned red, and Hermione dropped her book.

"Now I'm really curious, guys! You have mentioned it for the second time, Gin! What was that incident?"

"Be patient, Hermie. I'll tell you in six months." Ginny smirked.

"Keep dreaming." Ron grunted.

Suddenly Professor McGonagall entered the Great Hall, followed by all the other teachers.

"Children," she addressed them, "I presume that most of you already know about last night's incident. If not, then I need to inform you that a Muggle boy, Harry Potter's cousin visited us… Ms. Bullstrode, to be exact."

Millicent turned red and suddenly seemed extremely occupied with her pudding.

"Harry's cousin revealed some interesting pieces of information to us – about Mr. Malfoy's secret acts. I don't intend to let you in on the details, though. All I want to share with you is that Draco Malfoy strongly contributed to Potter's disappearance."

"That bastard!" Ron slapped the table.

"That's why he was so happy when that article 'THE BOY WHO GOT LOST – DUMBLEDORE'S BIG MISTAKE?' came out." Hermione hissed. "He knew that Harry was missing, since he saw to it personally!"

McGonagall carried on: "The staff has just finished a five-hour discussion on Mr. Malfoy's case, and come to the conclusion that he has to leave the school."

"Professor?" Hermione put up her hand as though they had been at a class. McGonagall didn't seem to notice her, so she stood up. "Professor, how did Draco and Dudley get rid of Harry?" He isn't dead, is he?"

"Ms. Granger, I can't answer either of your questions. The first needs to remain a secret, because we don't want the whole world – including You-Know-Who – know about it. We don't want to risk Harry's life even more. As for his possible death… I hope it hasn't happened."

Hermione sat down, pouting. She noticed the haunted look on the headmistress' face. Minerva seemed to have been shattered by the events, too.

"I can't believe that she'd hiding it from us." Ginny frowned.

Ron shrugged. "Once thing is sure: Malfoy's potion wasn't a poison – it didn't kill Harry, Ginny."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am." Ron put his arm around his little sister. "McGonagall would have told us if Harry was dead. But she hasn't told us, so Harry is alive. The potion must have done something else than kill him."

"But what?" Ginny was on the verge of tears.

"No idea." Ron shook his head. "But we'll get to know it, sooner or later."

"I hope sooner than later." Ginny replied with a sigh. "I don't want to lose my Harry forever."

"You won't." Hermione squeezed her hand. "Harry will be back, and Malfoy won't have another chance to harm him."

"That's sure." Ron agreed. "That asshole is sacked."

"I want to see him leave!" Hermione smirked. "And tell him what I think of him and all those damned pure-bloods!"

"But Hermione! Ginny and I are also pure-bloods!" Ron shouted indignantly.

"Okay, okay, Ron, I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I meant to hurt only Draco. Oh, if only I could spit him in the eye! That would be the greatest moment of my life! Yours too, right, Ginny?"

Ginny heaved a deep sigh. "I hate him, all right, and I'm happy that he is leaving, but… I wouldn't hurt him after all that's happened to him lately."

Ron and his girlfriend looked bewildered.

"Pregnancy's got on your nerves, sis." Ron stated.

"You don't know what I know, Ron." Ginny said. "You didn't read the Evening Prophet yesterday."

"Why? What was in it?"

"Draco's father was taken into St. Mungo. Someone tortured him with the Cruciatus curse. He's gone mad."

"Awww… that's sad." Hermione said. "If he wasn't Draco's father, I'd even feel sorry for him."

Ron chortled. "How very true!"

"You two don't understand it…" Ginny frowned. "It's terrible that so many people have to suffer such a terrible fate."

"So many? What do you mean?" Ron asked with an amused look on his freckled face. "Have Crabbe and Goyle's daddies gone crazy, too?"

"No." Ginny replied sullenly. "Not their parents… Neville's."

* * * * *

"… and that was how Harry Potter got lost, My Lord." Goyle finished his speech.

"Ah, interesting news you got there, Goyle." Lord Voldemort smiled maliciously. "Good that your son is a friend of Drakie Malfoy's."

Goyle bowed slightly. "I'm glad to have been of service to you, My Lord."

Voldemort nodded. "Strange that I had to get to know this from you… I would have expected my faithful servant at Hogwarts to let me in on such a secret… he'll pay for this… well, never mind." he directed his attention to the death-eaters. "You know, that Lucius Malfoy was sillier than I thought. He opposed me, to no avail. We got to know it eventually… he should have told me… I wouldn't have needed to implement Crucio on him…" he shook his head. "Such a fool doesn't deserve to be one of my death-eaters. Strange… I thought he was cunning… What a disappointment. Oh, well," he shrugged, "I still have enough followers… not to mention my good old servant at Hogwarts… I don't need Lucius, neither his pathetic little son. Okay, let's drop the topic. The Malfoys aren't my primary concern for the moment."

"What is it then, My Lord?" Legrange asked. "Potter?"

"No, my faithful death-eater." Voldemort replied. "Potter's lost, all right. I'll get him later and kill him, but that can wait."

Nott spoke up. "Can wait? Isn't killing Potter your number one goal, My Lord?"

"Not now." the dark lord's mouth tucked into a smirk. "I've got to know something extremely important… well… I got to know it almost three years ago, but only now has the time arrived to make use of that information."

"What is that very important thing, My Master?" Wormtail cut in.

"Immortality, Wormtail…" Voldemort cackled. "Immortality…"

The death-eaters exchanged knowing looks. They knew that their Lord had always considered immortality as his greatest aim in life.

"Do you mean that recipe you got from…" Wormtail began.

"Oh, yes." the dark lord sneered, his snakelike red eyes glinting with hellish glee.

"And what does that recipe include?" Macnair was curious.

"Some very common ingredients, and a bit of Potter's help." Voldemort answered.

"Potter's help?" Legrange furrowed his brow under his cape.

"Yes. Potter's help." the dark lord nodded.

"But, My Lord, haven't you just said that finding Potter isn't urgent now?" Nott reasoned. "How can you gain eternal life with his help, if you don't have him?"

"Oh, never worry about that, Nott." Voldemort replied. "Our Harry has already provided me with something I'll need for the recipe of the Potion of Eternity."

"What has he provided you with?" Wormtail inquired. "His blood?"

"Oh, no, you fool. His blood was only necessary for my rebirth. For gaining eternal life I'll use something else that belongs to Potter…"