A/N- The end is near and as Shakespeare said.The shit-ith hath hit-ith the
fan.ith. Okay.so maybe it wasn't the Bard.
Chapter 15- The trap
New Year's Eve arrived happily. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the coming war and Trelawney's warnings. A beautiful concerto filled the air in the great hall during dinner and the students and staff that had come back from the Christmas holiday before the break had ended chattered happily. It was the screech of a black owl that interrupted the happy times. Draco drew a hissing breath as the owl soared over to the head table. "Daemeon." He looked at the confused faces of his companions. "My father's owl."
"He's got a howler." Ginny pointed up to the red envelope in the talons.
"It isn't over." Harry mumbled. "And this is the next step." The five of them shared a worried glance before they looked up to the head table.
This time Daemeon opened the envelope. He gave a superior hoot to his master's sister before picking at her plate. "Isis, my dear, darling sister." Lucius's voice sneered. "I'm sure you had no intention of listening to this letter, which is why I had Daemeon open it. I'm also certain that you have no intention of listening to my summons, but I promise, I can make it worth your while." He paused momentarily, allowing his proposition to peak her interests. "You see, I know what you want. Draco. I'll give you a blood contract, I won't bring him into the.family business, as it were."
Isis's blue eyes widened and she flicked them to her nephew, who was looking at her shaking his head. "And of course," the familiar voice hissed, "if you need added incentive, there is always your.dear friend. You've seen the punishments for traitors my dear. Shall I interfere on his behalf, or against it?"
With a hiss, Isis fled over to the fireplace. "Isis No!" Snape barked. "Think about it, it's a trap."
She ignored him and stepped through the flames to her family home. Dumbledore and McGonagall once again ran to the fireplace to follow her, but this time, after being gone for a moment or two, the fireplace spit Dumbledore back out. He sat dazed on the floor for a minute, before turning to look at McGonagall. She wasn't there.
The sparkle was gone from his eyes, and suddenly he looked old, older than anyone had ever seen him look. He stood up and quietly, but commanding, instructed everyone to leave the hall. They prefects began to guide the other students from their houses out the doors, but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco held back. Ginny tried to, but Harry pushed her back into the line. "Ginny, we're going to need someone to cover for us." He whispered to her. "We'll fill you in when we get back."
She narrowed her brown eyes to glare at him, but slipped into the line. It wasn't until after the hall was emptied of students that the four of them went over to the headmaster. "I told you to leave." Dumbledore's voice was almost harsh as he scolded them. "You cannot get involved in this."
"We're going to have to if you want to get them back from You-know- who." Draco told the headmaster and their potions professor firmly.
Snape raised an eyebrow and looked coldly down at them, none of his tumultuous feelings showing. "And what do you think you can do?"
"Father is going to have set up the manor so you can't get in. Protection spells, wards, and all of that."
"And you think that you can get beyond them?" Snape asked disbelievingly.
Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes. "My father isn't going to block me from my own house. That's a little suspicious. Not to mention, why on earth would he think he had to?"
"It would be very dangerous." Dumbledore reminded him quietly.
"If Potter can go head to head with Lord Voldemort, I think I can handle this." He assured the headmaster arrogantly.
"All I want you to do, Draco is to get us inside." Dumbledore told him very seriously. "That's it. Then I want you to stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt."
Draco nodded. Having his assurances, Dumbledore sighed. The weight of the world appeared to be on his shoulders, and Harry felt his heart wrench with the sound. "We shall begin planning immediately. We don't have much time."
Chapter 15- The trap
New Year's Eve arrived happily. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the coming war and Trelawney's warnings. A beautiful concerto filled the air in the great hall during dinner and the students and staff that had come back from the Christmas holiday before the break had ended chattered happily. It was the screech of a black owl that interrupted the happy times. Draco drew a hissing breath as the owl soared over to the head table. "Daemeon." He looked at the confused faces of his companions. "My father's owl."
"He's got a howler." Ginny pointed up to the red envelope in the talons.
"It isn't over." Harry mumbled. "And this is the next step." The five of them shared a worried glance before they looked up to the head table.
This time Daemeon opened the envelope. He gave a superior hoot to his master's sister before picking at her plate. "Isis, my dear, darling sister." Lucius's voice sneered. "I'm sure you had no intention of listening to this letter, which is why I had Daemeon open it. I'm also certain that you have no intention of listening to my summons, but I promise, I can make it worth your while." He paused momentarily, allowing his proposition to peak her interests. "You see, I know what you want. Draco. I'll give you a blood contract, I won't bring him into the.family business, as it were."
Isis's blue eyes widened and she flicked them to her nephew, who was looking at her shaking his head. "And of course," the familiar voice hissed, "if you need added incentive, there is always your.dear friend. You've seen the punishments for traitors my dear. Shall I interfere on his behalf, or against it?"
With a hiss, Isis fled over to the fireplace. "Isis No!" Snape barked. "Think about it, it's a trap."
She ignored him and stepped through the flames to her family home. Dumbledore and McGonagall once again ran to the fireplace to follow her, but this time, after being gone for a moment or two, the fireplace spit Dumbledore back out. He sat dazed on the floor for a minute, before turning to look at McGonagall. She wasn't there.
The sparkle was gone from his eyes, and suddenly he looked old, older than anyone had ever seen him look. He stood up and quietly, but commanding, instructed everyone to leave the hall. They prefects began to guide the other students from their houses out the doors, but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco held back. Ginny tried to, but Harry pushed her back into the line. "Ginny, we're going to need someone to cover for us." He whispered to her. "We'll fill you in when we get back."
She narrowed her brown eyes to glare at him, but slipped into the line. It wasn't until after the hall was emptied of students that the four of them went over to the headmaster. "I told you to leave." Dumbledore's voice was almost harsh as he scolded them. "You cannot get involved in this."
"We're going to have to if you want to get them back from You-know- who." Draco told the headmaster and their potions professor firmly.
Snape raised an eyebrow and looked coldly down at them, none of his tumultuous feelings showing. "And what do you think you can do?"
"Father is going to have set up the manor so you can't get in. Protection spells, wards, and all of that."
"And you think that you can get beyond them?" Snape asked disbelievingly.
Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes. "My father isn't going to block me from my own house. That's a little suspicious. Not to mention, why on earth would he think he had to?"
"It would be very dangerous." Dumbledore reminded him quietly.
"If Potter can go head to head with Lord Voldemort, I think I can handle this." He assured the headmaster arrogantly.
"All I want you to do, Draco is to get us inside." Dumbledore told him very seriously. "That's it. Then I want you to stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt."
Draco nodded. Having his assurances, Dumbledore sighed. The weight of the world appeared to be on his shoulders, and Harry felt his heart wrench with the sound. "We shall begin planning immediately. We don't have much time."