"And that's the most expensive portrait that has ever been painted. It cost
my great-grandfather over--" said Aidan pointing to yet another 'Most
expensive thing ever' in Malfoy manor, while Chloe tuned him out to hear a
much more interesting sound.
"What is that noise?" Chloe interrupted when he took a breath.
"What noise?" said Aidan irritated at being cut off.
"That noise!" said Chloe, pointing towards the location it was coming from.
Aidan listened and looked puzzled for a moment. "I don't know, I wonder what it is?" he said half to himself, and without realizing it, half to Chloe.
"It almost sounds like a--"
Aidan suddenly noticed he had been talking civilly and carrying on a conversation with Chloe for the last few seconds. He quickly changed his tone. "Shut up, you dumb Mudblood. You don't know what you're talking about."
Chloe couldn't help feel the sting from the last comment. All during Aidan's boring tour of the manor, he had actually been nice to her. She wasn't sure about him now.
Both children jumped as Draco burst into the room. Panicked, he grabbed Chloe and threw her over his shoulder.
Chloe screamed and kicked. "Let me go!"
Aidan, left alone in the room, spotted Chloe's slipper on the ground. He didn't think he wanted her to die today. she hadn't been all that bad. He had never really known a father had told him about this. Mudbloods were stupid, yet tricky.
He clenched the slipper, furious at Chloe, and threw it out the window. He was glad she would die.
~*~
"He's gone to break into Malfoy's house. We can't let him go alone," Ginny said, taking out her wand.
"How long ago?" asked Ron hurrying to put on his cloak.
"Just now," she said anxiously. "Hurry!"
"I don't want too many people to go," Sirius warned. "If we don't find anything then we'll probably be arrested."
"I'm coming along," said Remus.
"I do not condone this!" Percy stood up and frowned at all of them. "The proper authorities have searched Malfoy Manor in a perfectly legal manner. This simply can not turn into a wild goose chase!"
"I'm not chasin' after any gooses," Hagrid interrupted clipping Fang's leash. "I'm chasin' a Death Eater. An' Harry needs me and Fang."
"Be reasonable!" Percy said above the din. "Listen to the Aurors!"
"You're fully welcome to arrest me and your commanding officer after we perform a little.surprise search on Malfoy Manor," said Sirius shaking an Auror's hand. "Got it?"
The Auror looked quite unsure of himself for a moment but then sat down.
"We don't know what you're talking about, sir," he said turning to his compatriots. They nodded and began talking to each other quietly.
"Ginny, I think you should stay here and let Fred or George go in your place," Ron suggested.
"No. I will not," Ginny said, her voice coated with ice.
"This is a very unwise decision!" Percy bellowed, trying to get someone to listen to him.
"Excuse me," said one of the Aurors, tapping Sirius on the shoulder. "But I think there might be some Portkeys left on that table to your right. although I simply don't know where you might end up. Maybe they might inadvertently go to wherever you might want to go, but I don't have the slightest idea where that is.."
Sirius grinned. "I hope you get promoted."
~*~
They spotted Harry approaching the front door of the manor. Hagrid and Fang veered off to the right to make a full circle of the property in case Fang might catch scent of Chloe.
"What is he going to do?" Ron said incredulously, watching Harry. "Knock like a gentleman?"
Harry began pounding on the door with all his might. The noise was sending the birds in the trees into flight. "OPEN THE DOOR, MALFOY!" bellowed Harry.
Catching up with Harry, the four were standing behind him, unnoticed, until Ron spoke up in-between poundings.
"What exactly are you doing? Are you going to break down the door with your bare hands? Or are you going to blow it to bits, like a proper wizard?"
Harry blinked, "Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I was just not thinking."
"We could just unlock it with magic..." said Remus trailing off.
"I don't think so, that seems too cordial," grinned Sirius.
"Yes, I do agree, blowing something up makes much more of a statement. I'd love to see Malfoy wet his trousers," Ron commented with his wand ready.
~*~
Malfoy grit his teeth as he ran down a corridor. That blasted, incompetent house elf.
He skidded to a halt in front of the proper wall in the armor room and hastily rapped on the wallpaper with his wand and muttered a few words. The door appeared out of the seams of the wallpaper, and Draco flung it open. He was about to dash down the stairs when he hesitated, foot poised over the doorway.
The stairs would take more time then he had. Draco got a better grip on the Mudblood and threw her from his shoulder. He then slammed the door shut and sealed it. Maybe if she were lucky, she'd fall down the entire four flights of stairs and break her neck.
Potter could never break this charm. He didn't know enough Dark Magic. Draco quickened his strides, he would have to hurry now, time was wasting, and he had several wizards to kill. Today was the day the world would know of his power.
~*~
Harry peered into the foyer of the Malfoy home when the dust from the explosion cleared. Remus was coughing and swatting the dust away from his face. The house was still as death, and even with the sunlight coming in from the doorway, they could hardly see into the foyer. A prickle of unrest slinked up Harry's spine. Things were too calm, and altogether too quiet. The others had rested their gazes on him, waiting for him to make the next move.
"Lum-" began Ron, with intentions of lighting his wand for a better look into the house.
Harry turned sharply and shook his head no.
Ron closed his mouth mid-spell and gave Harry an imploring "why not" look.
Harry took a step into the entryway. His boots crunched on a bit of splintered door.
"Don't move another step," growled Draco Malfoy coming out of the shadows. He surveyed his doorway with an ugly sneer.
"Give me back my daughter and turn yourself in, and I won't move another step," said Harry flatly.
"I don't have your daughter. You are breaking and entering. I order you to leave this moment!"
The sound of Harry's step forward echoed in the hall. "I've stopped playing fairly. Your restraining order isn't going to protect you from me."
"I said, leave!" said Draco jerking his neck sharply.
"I said, give me my daughter. Now, if you don't mind moving, I plan on conducting a thorough search of your premises," said Harry coolly, as he stepped forward again.
"I don't have your daughter. For one reason, that should be obvious. No Potter is, or ever will be, welcome across the threshold of my home," said Draco as he clutched his wand with an even tighter grip. He took a sharp intake of breath, his gaze darting around the floor.
Harry was watching Draco very carefully. Harry looked out of the corner of his eye in the direction of where Draco was staring. There wasn't anything there. "I didn't ask to be welcomed, I asked you to move."
"I have rights, and four to one barging into my house to attack me, is not legal," said Draco taking a step away from the rat. He chewed his tongue and started muttering to himself in a low shaky voice. "Tapping, tapping, scratching, running across my floor.."
"Two Death Eaters barging into a nursery school doesn't seem to be legal either," Ginny said sharply. "Get out of the way before I hex you myself."
"STAY BACK!!!" screamed Draco. He pounced on a spot on the floor and shook his wand at it.
Remus, Sirius, Ron, and Ginny immediately flanked Harry's side and waited for him to make the first move. Harry didn't move, watching Draco curse at the floor.
"You were right, Harry," Ginny whispered softly.
"What in God's name is he doing?" Sirius gaped.
"Take his worthless hide out first, ask questions later," said Ron as he watched Draco howl in agony.
"This could be a trick," said Remus wisely. "He could be stalling, Harry."
Harry turned to them and spoke quickly and very low. "No, not this time. Listen to me, you have to find Chloe. You can search the house together.."
"You don't know if this is a trick, like Remus said," Ginny protested immediately. "We can't leave you alone with him, crazy or not."
"I'm staying with you," Ron added quickly. "Ginny's right, you can't be left alone with him. Anything could happen."
Harry's green eyes narrowed. "Believe me, I will take care of it. Either way, we need to do this now."
"We can slip through that doorway," Remus said inclining his head. "I don't think he'll notice, but Harry and Ron can distract him."
"Be careful," Ron said, looking concernedly at Ginny. "Who knows what he has in this house.."
"No," Ginny said glaring at Draco. "You two be careful. with him. Don't turn your backs.."
"DIE! How DARE you show yourselves to Lord Voldemort," screamed Draco at the floor.
"DRACO!" Harry shouted.
There was a sudden silence. Draco looked up slowly from the floor, and an evil grin was played across his lips.
"Potter. I didn't see you come in. How lovely of you to remember my old name from the days when we were school chums," he said, standing up from the floor. "Come to finish that little duel we started in second year?"
"School chums. I'll show you school chums," Ron said raising his wand at Draco. "You low-life Slyther-"
"Old name?" said Harry, interrupting Ron.
"Draco Malfoy. Honorable surname, distinguished family, but I wanted more. My loyalty had to be unquestionable.."
"What in God's name are you ranting about? Loyalties? It's no secret who you associated yourself with! In case you didn't notice, the fight is over, " scoffed Ron with an impatient snort.
"The fight never ended," replied Draco, sounding as if he were merely discussing the weather. "And yet it can and will end here today. With Potter."
"I am not going to duel you," Harry said flatly. "Consider your fight a stalemate. I refuse to fight you, Malfoy. There is nothing to fight for. Your war is over."
"Only to those who refuse to see what is really there.."
"Voldemort is dead," Harry spat. "You can't change that."
"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT, FOOL!" shouted Draco, flinging his arms out.
Harry and Ron stared at him silently. Draco looked halfway disappointed, as if he was hoping for at least one gasp of horror.
Harry looked at Draco as if he hadn't heard the last statement. "Give me my daughter."
"I killed her," whispered Draco, his blue eyes widening in their sockets, darting around the room.
Horror immediately turned into wrath in Harry. His wand clattered to the floor and he lunged at Draco. He grabbed the collar of Draco's robes and his fury came roaring out. "I'm going to kill you right here!"
He was so angry that Draco's resistance was no match for his adrenaline. There was a brief struggle, but Harry easily slammed Draco into the ground. Another fist smashing into Draco's face told Harry that Ron was in the fight now.
Draco jammed his wand into Ron's side and shouted a disarming spell and full body bind curse. Ron's wand flew across the room and clattered loudly on the floor and Ron himself fell to the ground, unconscious.
Harry instinctively made a grab for his wand, but he realized he had dropped it on the floor just before he'd attacked Malfoy.
Pointing his wand at Harry's chest, Malfoy cackled as he got to his feet.
"Looking for something, Potter? Other than your dead daughter, that is."
"Don't you dare," Harry said staring at his wand in Draco's hands.
Snap.
"Oh, my, my, my," Draco looked at Harry with a mock innocent face. "However did that happen? Won't the wizarding world be in for a nasty shock when they wake up to the news this morning? Their blessed hero, barging into an innocent man's home, illegally even, and getting himself blown up. Pity. They did love you so."
Harry stared into the face of the man who had murdered his daughter. Malfoy's frigid ice blue gaze was clearly one of a madman. That was the last thing Chloe probably saw, his face. He killed her...she was just a baby. Draco Malfoy killed her. Harry felt his blood rumble in his ears as his anger swelled up to heights he had never known.
"I expect the funeral will be magnificent. Do you prefer white lilies, Potter? I may send an enormous bunch, courtesy of Lord Voldemort."
"Kill me! Kill me, you coward! Fight me without a wand! KILL ME!" shouted Harry, standing his ground and throwing his arms out to expose his chest.
Malfoy roared with laughter. "AVA-"
"MURDERER!"
Draco felt his body go lax and sheer pain spread throughout his body. This wasn't possible. How had Potter done it? He slumped on the floor. He gasped for air, and attempted to fight the curse off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rat appear. He gave an unearthly scream, and then saw nothing.
~*~
Aidan gave Sirius a sharp kick in the shins. Sirius winced and tightened his grip on the boy. Remus was holding fast to the boy's other arm, and narrowly avoided being bitten on the hand.
"Please tell us where she is," Ginny persuaded. "I promise you won't get into trouble."
"Let me go!" howled Aidan miserably. He sunk his teeth into Sirius' wrist.
Sirius gave a yelp of pain, and shook the boy off. He grabbed Aidan's arm again and leaned very close to his face.
"Listen up, you little monster. I wouldn't do that again. See my friend over there? He's a Werewolf. He'll bite you back."
Aidan pursed his lips in a pout. "I don't care."
"Snotty little brat," Sirius grumbled. "We should just shake it out of you."
"Sirius!" The nursery school teacher was coming out in Ginny, and she gave Sirius an annoyed look. "He's five years old. He can't help who his parents are. I'll deal with this, thank you."
"Be my guest, Mary Poppins," Sirius snorted. "It's going to take you more than a spoonful of sugar, but if you think you know best.."
"You're ugly," Aidan said to Sirius, sticking out his tongue.
"And you're a Malfoy, we all have our flaws don't we?" Sirius shot back.
"Aidan, everything will be okay if you tell us where your daddy hid Chloe," Ginny said calmly.
"You can't make me," snorted Aidan.
Lupin sighed, and he pulled a vial out of his robes. "I think I have a different approach." He shook it in front of Aidan's nose. "Do you know what this is?"
"No," said Aidan, clamping his mouth closed.
"It's a truth serum, I can give this to you, and then you'll have to tell us everything you know about Chloe. You can open your mouth, or I can give it to you through the air. Either you tell us now, or I give you this."
"Nyah, nyah, nyah," sang Sirius, with a huge grin.
"Sirius Black!" Ginny glared at him. "You're as bad as he is."
Aidan glanced from Remus' hand to Sirius.
"Did you ever hear of the wizard who couldn't tell a lie for the rest of his life after he was given too much? I do hope we give you the right dosage," added Sirius.
Aidan snatched his hand from Sirius'. "I'm not showing you," said Aidan with a mutinous look in Sirius' direction. He turned to Remus and Ginny. "Okay," he muttered.
"Show the way," said Sirius briskly pulling him out of the room.
~*~
Harry stood over Malfoy's body. He was still breathing, but definitely knocked out. He could kill him here, just like this...but he wouldn't. It wouldn't be right to do the same thing he'd done to Chloe. He deserved much worse.
"Wake up, mate," Harry said bending down and nudging Ron gently. "Finite Incantatem."
Ron groaned and stirred.
"Come on, Ron," Harry persisted. "You're all right. Open your eyes.
"Bloody hell," Ron said lifting a hand to his head, squinting at Harry. "What happened?"
"We're in Malfoy Manor, remember?"
Ron sat up slowly, still holding his head. When he saw Malfoy, he seemed to recall everything. "Is he dead?" Ron asked slowly.
"Unfortunately not," said Harry glaring at Malfoy's still form. "I'm going to go search the rest of the manor. I- I just can't give up until I find Chloe."
"Let's go then. I know she's going to be happy to see you," Ron said giving Harry an assuring look.
"No, you stay here and keep watch just in case. Take it easy, you've got a bump on your head the size of a boulder. Besides, if he starts to wake up, you've got a wand, I haven't.
"Seems to me you were doing just fine without a wand. But, if that's what you want me to do, I'll be happy to have this scumbag as a footrest while I wait." Ron conjured a chair and dug the heels of his boots on Malfoy's face. ~*~
The house elves huddled in a corner of the kitchen, whimpering. Another shelf of dishes came crashing down as Harry pushed it over. He then ran his hand along the wall, murmuring spells.
Wincing, they watched as he threw open the pantry door. There was a loud thunk, and then a cloud of flour exploded from the pantry opening. An onslaught of cans came rolling out of the pantry and tears pooled in their eyes as they witnessed their beloved kitchen being ripped apart.
Wiping away tears, one of the house elves looked up, and promptly fainted. A huge human and a dog stood in the doorway. When the rest of the elves noticed, they bolted from the dog, squealing with fright. Fang pursued, snuffling them with interest.
"Harry!" shouted Hagrid.
Potatoes rolled out of the pantry, and Harry's voice could be heard, muffled. "What?"
"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang announcing their presence.
"Fang found something ya' might want ta see!" shouted Hagrid joyfully.
Harry appeared out of the pantry with flour splotches decorating his robes. "What is it?"
Hagrid held up Chloe's tiny blue slipper and grinned.
"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang again.
Harry's eyes widened and he snatched it from Hagrid's hand for a closer inspection. "This is Chloe's!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "And the first piece of hard evidence we have!"
"Ah, I tol' you, we would be needing old Fang here," said Hagrid patting Fang's head. "He's a good ol' dog."
Fang's tail whapped happily on a pile of flour.
"He's getting steaks for the rest of his life," said Harry, handing the slipper to Hagrid and beaming at Fang.
"I'll keep this until we need it again," said Hagrid putting it in his huge overcoat. "Find Chloe, Fang!"
"Ba-rooo!" barked Fang at the house elves, as he and Hagrid went in the opposite direction from Harry.
~*~
Malfoy Manor was one the most dreary houses Harry had ever set foot in. The house didn't lack beauty--it had many expensive and nice things--but it lacked the one thing that made a home...signs that a family lived there. It resembled more of a museum than anything. He surveyed the hallway with three branches leading from the kitchen door. Harry hesitated, then took his best guess on which way to go first.
Harry took a long sweeping look at the room when he entered it. This had to be a weaponry room or some sort of armor room. Whatever it was, it was dreadful. As he glanced around something caught his eye, a tiny sliver of cool blue, contrasting the blood red around him. Harry's heart began beating faster as he snatched up the familiar shaded scrap of fabric, and his hands shook as he recognized it.
"CHLOE!" he cried, listening desperately for her. "Chloe Grace, answer me!"
He could hear nothing but the excited sound of his breathing. Fighting to calm himself, he tried to examine the room.
A trapdoor, perhaps? Slowly, Harry checked the carpet, not wanting to miss an inch.
He stood up in frustration, and something else caught his eye. The other walls had elaborate weapons or banners practically dripping off of them. Except one.
There was no other reason why. Harry placed a hand on it and closed his eyes. "Please, please, be this wall," he prayed silently, before casting the most powerful unlocking charm he could think of.
Click.
A door appeared on the red wallpaper. Harry clamored for the handle and flung the door open.
There she was. He threw himself at her side and took her in his arms. She was warm. She was alive, unconscious, but alive.
"Chloe," sobbed Harry, holding her to him, unable to move. "Chloe, I found you."
~*~
Author Note: Thanks to Anne for betaing this!
"Have you hugged your stuffed dragon today?" Join Chloe's Bookshelf
"What is that noise?" Chloe interrupted when he took a breath.
"What noise?" said Aidan irritated at being cut off.
"That noise!" said Chloe, pointing towards the location it was coming from.
Aidan listened and looked puzzled for a moment. "I don't know, I wonder what it is?" he said half to himself, and without realizing it, half to Chloe.
"It almost sounds like a--"
Aidan suddenly noticed he had been talking civilly and carrying on a conversation with Chloe for the last few seconds. He quickly changed his tone. "Shut up, you dumb Mudblood. You don't know what you're talking about."
Chloe couldn't help feel the sting from the last comment. All during Aidan's boring tour of the manor, he had actually been nice to her. She wasn't sure about him now.
Both children jumped as Draco burst into the room. Panicked, he grabbed Chloe and threw her over his shoulder.
Chloe screamed and kicked. "Let me go!"
Aidan, left alone in the room, spotted Chloe's slipper on the ground. He didn't think he wanted her to die today. she hadn't been all that bad. He had never really known a father had told him about this. Mudbloods were stupid, yet tricky.
He clenched the slipper, furious at Chloe, and threw it out the window. He was glad she would die.
~*~
"He's gone to break into Malfoy's house. We can't let him go alone," Ginny said, taking out her wand.
"How long ago?" asked Ron hurrying to put on his cloak.
"Just now," she said anxiously. "Hurry!"
"I don't want too many people to go," Sirius warned. "If we don't find anything then we'll probably be arrested."
"I'm coming along," said Remus.
"I do not condone this!" Percy stood up and frowned at all of them. "The proper authorities have searched Malfoy Manor in a perfectly legal manner. This simply can not turn into a wild goose chase!"
"I'm not chasin' after any gooses," Hagrid interrupted clipping Fang's leash. "I'm chasin' a Death Eater. An' Harry needs me and Fang."
"Be reasonable!" Percy said above the din. "Listen to the Aurors!"
"You're fully welcome to arrest me and your commanding officer after we perform a little.surprise search on Malfoy Manor," said Sirius shaking an Auror's hand. "Got it?"
The Auror looked quite unsure of himself for a moment but then sat down.
"We don't know what you're talking about, sir," he said turning to his compatriots. They nodded and began talking to each other quietly.
"Ginny, I think you should stay here and let Fred or George go in your place," Ron suggested.
"No. I will not," Ginny said, her voice coated with ice.
"This is a very unwise decision!" Percy bellowed, trying to get someone to listen to him.
"Excuse me," said one of the Aurors, tapping Sirius on the shoulder. "But I think there might be some Portkeys left on that table to your right. although I simply don't know where you might end up. Maybe they might inadvertently go to wherever you might want to go, but I don't have the slightest idea where that is.."
Sirius grinned. "I hope you get promoted."
~*~
They spotted Harry approaching the front door of the manor. Hagrid and Fang veered off to the right to make a full circle of the property in case Fang might catch scent of Chloe.
"What is he going to do?" Ron said incredulously, watching Harry. "Knock like a gentleman?"
Harry began pounding on the door with all his might. The noise was sending the birds in the trees into flight. "OPEN THE DOOR, MALFOY!" bellowed Harry.
Catching up with Harry, the four were standing behind him, unnoticed, until Ron spoke up in-between poundings.
"What exactly are you doing? Are you going to break down the door with your bare hands? Or are you going to blow it to bits, like a proper wizard?"
Harry blinked, "Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I was just not thinking."
"We could just unlock it with magic..." said Remus trailing off.
"I don't think so, that seems too cordial," grinned Sirius.
"Yes, I do agree, blowing something up makes much more of a statement. I'd love to see Malfoy wet his trousers," Ron commented with his wand ready.
~*~
Malfoy grit his teeth as he ran down a corridor. That blasted, incompetent house elf.
He skidded to a halt in front of the proper wall in the armor room and hastily rapped on the wallpaper with his wand and muttered a few words. The door appeared out of the seams of the wallpaper, and Draco flung it open. He was about to dash down the stairs when he hesitated, foot poised over the doorway.
The stairs would take more time then he had. Draco got a better grip on the Mudblood and threw her from his shoulder. He then slammed the door shut and sealed it. Maybe if she were lucky, she'd fall down the entire four flights of stairs and break her neck.
Potter could never break this charm. He didn't know enough Dark Magic. Draco quickened his strides, he would have to hurry now, time was wasting, and he had several wizards to kill. Today was the day the world would know of his power.
~*~
Harry peered into the foyer of the Malfoy home when the dust from the explosion cleared. Remus was coughing and swatting the dust away from his face. The house was still as death, and even with the sunlight coming in from the doorway, they could hardly see into the foyer. A prickle of unrest slinked up Harry's spine. Things were too calm, and altogether too quiet. The others had rested their gazes on him, waiting for him to make the next move.
"Lum-" began Ron, with intentions of lighting his wand for a better look into the house.
Harry turned sharply and shook his head no.
Ron closed his mouth mid-spell and gave Harry an imploring "why not" look.
Harry took a step into the entryway. His boots crunched on a bit of splintered door.
"Don't move another step," growled Draco Malfoy coming out of the shadows. He surveyed his doorway with an ugly sneer.
"Give me back my daughter and turn yourself in, and I won't move another step," said Harry flatly.
"I don't have your daughter. You are breaking and entering. I order you to leave this moment!"
The sound of Harry's step forward echoed in the hall. "I've stopped playing fairly. Your restraining order isn't going to protect you from me."
"I said, leave!" said Draco jerking his neck sharply.
"I said, give me my daughter. Now, if you don't mind moving, I plan on conducting a thorough search of your premises," said Harry coolly, as he stepped forward again.
"I don't have your daughter. For one reason, that should be obvious. No Potter is, or ever will be, welcome across the threshold of my home," said Draco as he clutched his wand with an even tighter grip. He took a sharp intake of breath, his gaze darting around the floor.
Harry was watching Draco very carefully. Harry looked out of the corner of his eye in the direction of where Draco was staring. There wasn't anything there. "I didn't ask to be welcomed, I asked you to move."
"I have rights, and four to one barging into my house to attack me, is not legal," said Draco taking a step away from the rat. He chewed his tongue and started muttering to himself in a low shaky voice. "Tapping, tapping, scratching, running across my floor.."
"Two Death Eaters barging into a nursery school doesn't seem to be legal either," Ginny said sharply. "Get out of the way before I hex you myself."
"STAY BACK!!!" screamed Draco. He pounced on a spot on the floor and shook his wand at it.
Remus, Sirius, Ron, and Ginny immediately flanked Harry's side and waited for him to make the first move. Harry didn't move, watching Draco curse at the floor.
"You were right, Harry," Ginny whispered softly.
"What in God's name is he doing?" Sirius gaped.
"Take his worthless hide out first, ask questions later," said Ron as he watched Draco howl in agony.
"This could be a trick," said Remus wisely. "He could be stalling, Harry."
Harry turned to them and spoke quickly and very low. "No, not this time. Listen to me, you have to find Chloe. You can search the house together.."
"You don't know if this is a trick, like Remus said," Ginny protested immediately. "We can't leave you alone with him, crazy or not."
"I'm staying with you," Ron added quickly. "Ginny's right, you can't be left alone with him. Anything could happen."
Harry's green eyes narrowed. "Believe me, I will take care of it. Either way, we need to do this now."
"We can slip through that doorway," Remus said inclining his head. "I don't think he'll notice, but Harry and Ron can distract him."
"Be careful," Ron said, looking concernedly at Ginny. "Who knows what he has in this house.."
"No," Ginny said glaring at Draco. "You two be careful. with him. Don't turn your backs.."
"DIE! How DARE you show yourselves to Lord Voldemort," screamed Draco at the floor.
"DRACO!" Harry shouted.
There was a sudden silence. Draco looked up slowly from the floor, and an evil grin was played across his lips.
"Potter. I didn't see you come in. How lovely of you to remember my old name from the days when we were school chums," he said, standing up from the floor. "Come to finish that little duel we started in second year?"
"School chums. I'll show you school chums," Ron said raising his wand at Draco. "You low-life Slyther-"
"Old name?" said Harry, interrupting Ron.
"Draco Malfoy. Honorable surname, distinguished family, but I wanted more. My loyalty had to be unquestionable.."
"What in God's name are you ranting about? Loyalties? It's no secret who you associated yourself with! In case you didn't notice, the fight is over, " scoffed Ron with an impatient snort.
"The fight never ended," replied Draco, sounding as if he were merely discussing the weather. "And yet it can and will end here today. With Potter."
"I am not going to duel you," Harry said flatly. "Consider your fight a stalemate. I refuse to fight you, Malfoy. There is nothing to fight for. Your war is over."
"Only to those who refuse to see what is really there.."
"Voldemort is dead," Harry spat. "You can't change that."
"I AM LORD VOLDEMORT, FOOL!" shouted Draco, flinging his arms out.
Harry and Ron stared at him silently. Draco looked halfway disappointed, as if he was hoping for at least one gasp of horror.
Harry looked at Draco as if he hadn't heard the last statement. "Give me my daughter."
"I killed her," whispered Draco, his blue eyes widening in their sockets, darting around the room.
Horror immediately turned into wrath in Harry. His wand clattered to the floor and he lunged at Draco. He grabbed the collar of Draco's robes and his fury came roaring out. "I'm going to kill you right here!"
He was so angry that Draco's resistance was no match for his adrenaline. There was a brief struggle, but Harry easily slammed Draco into the ground. Another fist smashing into Draco's face told Harry that Ron was in the fight now.
Draco jammed his wand into Ron's side and shouted a disarming spell and full body bind curse. Ron's wand flew across the room and clattered loudly on the floor and Ron himself fell to the ground, unconscious.
Harry instinctively made a grab for his wand, but he realized he had dropped it on the floor just before he'd attacked Malfoy.
Pointing his wand at Harry's chest, Malfoy cackled as he got to his feet.
"Looking for something, Potter? Other than your dead daughter, that is."
"Don't you dare," Harry said staring at his wand in Draco's hands.
Snap.
"Oh, my, my, my," Draco looked at Harry with a mock innocent face. "However did that happen? Won't the wizarding world be in for a nasty shock when they wake up to the news this morning? Their blessed hero, barging into an innocent man's home, illegally even, and getting himself blown up. Pity. They did love you so."
Harry stared into the face of the man who had murdered his daughter. Malfoy's frigid ice blue gaze was clearly one of a madman. That was the last thing Chloe probably saw, his face. He killed her...she was just a baby. Draco Malfoy killed her. Harry felt his blood rumble in his ears as his anger swelled up to heights he had never known.
"I expect the funeral will be magnificent. Do you prefer white lilies, Potter? I may send an enormous bunch, courtesy of Lord Voldemort."
"Kill me! Kill me, you coward! Fight me without a wand! KILL ME!" shouted Harry, standing his ground and throwing his arms out to expose his chest.
Malfoy roared with laughter. "AVA-"
"MURDERER!"
Draco felt his body go lax and sheer pain spread throughout his body. This wasn't possible. How had Potter done it? He slumped on the floor. He gasped for air, and attempted to fight the curse off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rat appear. He gave an unearthly scream, and then saw nothing.
~*~
Aidan gave Sirius a sharp kick in the shins. Sirius winced and tightened his grip on the boy. Remus was holding fast to the boy's other arm, and narrowly avoided being bitten on the hand.
"Please tell us where she is," Ginny persuaded. "I promise you won't get into trouble."
"Let me go!" howled Aidan miserably. He sunk his teeth into Sirius' wrist.
Sirius gave a yelp of pain, and shook the boy off. He grabbed Aidan's arm again and leaned very close to his face.
"Listen up, you little monster. I wouldn't do that again. See my friend over there? He's a Werewolf. He'll bite you back."
Aidan pursed his lips in a pout. "I don't care."
"Snotty little brat," Sirius grumbled. "We should just shake it out of you."
"Sirius!" The nursery school teacher was coming out in Ginny, and she gave Sirius an annoyed look. "He's five years old. He can't help who his parents are. I'll deal with this, thank you."
"Be my guest, Mary Poppins," Sirius snorted. "It's going to take you more than a spoonful of sugar, but if you think you know best.."
"You're ugly," Aidan said to Sirius, sticking out his tongue.
"And you're a Malfoy, we all have our flaws don't we?" Sirius shot back.
"Aidan, everything will be okay if you tell us where your daddy hid Chloe," Ginny said calmly.
"You can't make me," snorted Aidan.
Lupin sighed, and he pulled a vial out of his robes. "I think I have a different approach." He shook it in front of Aidan's nose. "Do you know what this is?"
"No," said Aidan, clamping his mouth closed.
"It's a truth serum, I can give this to you, and then you'll have to tell us everything you know about Chloe. You can open your mouth, or I can give it to you through the air. Either you tell us now, or I give you this."
"Nyah, nyah, nyah," sang Sirius, with a huge grin.
"Sirius Black!" Ginny glared at him. "You're as bad as he is."
Aidan glanced from Remus' hand to Sirius.
"Did you ever hear of the wizard who couldn't tell a lie for the rest of his life after he was given too much? I do hope we give you the right dosage," added Sirius.
Aidan snatched his hand from Sirius'. "I'm not showing you," said Aidan with a mutinous look in Sirius' direction. He turned to Remus and Ginny. "Okay," he muttered.
"Show the way," said Sirius briskly pulling him out of the room.
~*~
Harry stood over Malfoy's body. He was still breathing, but definitely knocked out. He could kill him here, just like this...but he wouldn't. It wouldn't be right to do the same thing he'd done to Chloe. He deserved much worse.
"Wake up, mate," Harry said bending down and nudging Ron gently. "Finite Incantatem."
Ron groaned and stirred.
"Come on, Ron," Harry persisted. "You're all right. Open your eyes.
"Bloody hell," Ron said lifting a hand to his head, squinting at Harry. "What happened?"
"We're in Malfoy Manor, remember?"
Ron sat up slowly, still holding his head. When he saw Malfoy, he seemed to recall everything. "Is he dead?" Ron asked slowly.
"Unfortunately not," said Harry glaring at Malfoy's still form. "I'm going to go search the rest of the manor. I- I just can't give up until I find Chloe."
"Let's go then. I know she's going to be happy to see you," Ron said giving Harry an assuring look.
"No, you stay here and keep watch just in case. Take it easy, you've got a bump on your head the size of a boulder. Besides, if he starts to wake up, you've got a wand, I haven't.
"Seems to me you were doing just fine without a wand. But, if that's what you want me to do, I'll be happy to have this scumbag as a footrest while I wait." Ron conjured a chair and dug the heels of his boots on Malfoy's face. ~*~
The house elves huddled in a corner of the kitchen, whimpering. Another shelf of dishes came crashing down as Harry pushed it over. He then ran his hand along the wall, murmuring spells.
Wincing, they watched as he threw open the pantry door. There was a loud thunk, and then a cloud of flour exploded from the pantry opening. An onslaught of cans came rolling out of the pantry and tears pooled in their eyes as they witnessed their beloved kitchen being ripped apart.
Wiping away tears, one of the house elves looked up, and promptly fainted. A huge human and a dog stood in the doorway. When the rest of the elves noticed, they bolted from the dog, squealing with fright. Fang pursued, snuffling them with interest.
"Harry!" shouted Hagrid.
Potatoes rolled out of the pantry, and Harry's voice could be heard, muffled. "What?"
"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang announcing their presence.
"Fang found something ya' might want ta see!" shouted Hagrid joyfully.
Harry appeared out of the pantry with flour splotches decorating his robes. "What is it?"
Hagrid held up Chloe's tiny blue slipper and grinned.
"Ba-rooooooo!" howled Fang again.
Harry's eyes widened and he snatched it from Hagrid's hand for a closer inspection. "This is Chloe's!" Harry exclaimed excitedly. "And the first piece of hard evidence we have!"
"Ah, I tol' you, we would be needing old Fang here," said Hagrid patting Fang's head. "He's a good ol' dog."
Fang's tail whapped happily on a pile of flour.
"He's getting steaks for the rest of his life," said Harry, handing the slipper to Hagrid and beaming at Fang.
"I'll keep this until we need it again," said Hagrid putting it in his huge overcoat. "Find Chloe, Fang!"
"Ba-rooo!" barked Fang at the house elves, as he and Hagrid went in the opposite direction from Harry.
~*~
Malfoy Manor was one the most dreary houses Harry had ever set foot in. The house didn't lack beauty--it had many expensive and nice things--but it lacked the one thing that made a home...signs that a family lived there. It resembled more of a museum than anything. He surveyed the hallway with three branches leading from the kitchen door. Harry hesitated, then took his best guess on which way to go first.
Harry took a long sweeping look at the room when he entered it. This had to be a weaponry room or some sort of armor room. Whatever it was, it was dreadful. As he glanced around something caught his eye, a tiny sliver of cool blue, contrasting the blood red around him. Harry's heart began beating faster as he snatched up the familiar shaded scrap of fabric, and his hands shook as he recognized it.
"CHLOE!" he cried, listening desperately for her. "Chloe Grace, answer me!"
He could hear nothing but the excited sound of his breathing. Fighting to calm himself, he tried to examine the room.
A trapdoor, perhaps? Slowly, Harry checked the carpet, not wanting to miss an inch.
He stood up in frustration, and something else caught his eye. The other walls had elaborate weapons or banners practically dripping off of them. Except one.
There was no other reason why. Harry placed a hand on it and closed his eyes. "Please, please, be this wall," he prayed silently, before casting the most powerful unlocking charm he could think of.
Click.
A door appeared on the red wallpaper. Harry clamored for the handle and flung the door open.
There she was. He threw himself at her side and took her in his arms. She was warm. She was alive, unconscious, but alive.
"Chloe," sobbed Harry, holding her to him, unable to move. "Chloe, I found you."
~*~
Author Note: Thanks to Anne for betaing this!
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