DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 7: Draco Malfoy
It was night when Ron finally made up his mind. He would take one of the family broomsticks, pretend to send a letter to Harry, and follow Hedwig's route on the broom. She would take him to Harry, because owls always managed to send letters to someone; he didn't know how they did it, but they did. He had written a quick letter to Harry asking him what was happening and had left a hurried note to his family on his desk, explaining what he was doing and the reasons for doing it. The smallest Weasley boy knew he would get in trouble for sneaking out like this, and that when he got back, his mother would scold him for taking action of this plan and tell him he ought to have asked the government for help, but it wasn't as if Fred and George hadn't done it a billion times before. Plus, they hadn't got in that much trouble back in second year for stealing the car, because Harry had been at the house. And if Harry were back here—which was what Ron most certainly thought would happen, he would bring Harry back from the Dursleys because they were making him suffer again, like in second year—then his mum wouldn't get mad about it, because he had brought Harry back. He had shaken off the possibility of Voldemort long ago, classifying it as paranoid and overprotective.
Shaking his head to clear himself from fearful thoughts, he tied a letter to Hedwig's leg, jumped on the broomstick, and sailed out the window, following the snowy owl, into the starry night.
The first thing Harry noticed as he walked down the dungeon corridor was the ring on Lily's finger. The green gem attached to the gold band was the same color as her and his eyes, and it seemed like the jewel contained some kind of mist. He wondered what it was and where she had got it from, and wondered what its powers were. "Lily, what's the ring for?" he asked, as the thoughts unraveled in his head.
Lily glanced at it suddenly, remembering it strangely. The date with James in the garden seemed so long ago, yet it was the reason she was here. "It's a ring with a Sensus Stone," she answered. "They're for couples. I gave one to James. When one of the couple feels sad or depressed, the gem will dull a little, but when one or both of the couple feels happy or in love, the gem will dazzle. James and I had a date tonight. When we were done…er…kissing, the stones were stuck together. We tried to pull them apart, and when we touched them at the same time, blackness fell over me, and I ended up here." She looked around at her surroundings, noticing their vastness for the first time. "Do you have any idea where we are, by the way?"
"I think we're in Malfoy Manor," Harry replied. His face was strangely set in a bitter, competitive look. "Death Eater headquarters—you know what Death Eaters are, right?" he said, glancing over at her.
"Yeah, Dark Wizards who follow Voldemort," she told him. "I suspected Malfoy's family was included."
Harry nodded. "We have to find Hermione, my Muggle-born friend," he told her. "She was captured as bait for me. Lucius Malfoy came to my relatives' house and threatened to kill her if I didn't come with him. The Death Eaters Stunned me and Hermione and my relatives and I woke up here. Then Voldemort came and took Hermione somewhere, some place in this house. We have to go get her and then try to escape."
Lily nodded and understood. It wasn't the greatest plan, but what else could you do in this situation? Neither Harry nor she knew what kind of place this was, if there were wards on the doors or hallways, whether there were Death Eaters or Voldemort around, and other geography of the manor. She looked at Harry and said, "Harry, do you know where Hermione is? At all?"
He shook his head. "I can tell if Voldemort's coming, though. My scar hurts when he comes near."
"Okay," Lily replied, not knowing what to say.
Harry stopped suddenly. His face was white. "Oh no," he whispered.
Someone was coming down the hallway that they were passing through. The person's shiny blond hair gleamed from a distance as he or she got closer and closer to their location. As the person drew nearer Lily could distinguish a blond boy, almost an exact copy of the odious Lucius Malfoy she knew, smirking. The boy finally reached them and his smirk grew wider.
"Well, well," he sneered. "What have we here? Potter…his Muggle dirt…and a pretty girl. Makes for an interesting encounter." He turned to Lily. "You," he said sharply. "What's your name?"
Harry interrupted. "It's none of your business what her name is, Malfoy," he answered. "Where's Hermione?"
"Ah, the little bushy-haired Mudblood. I didn't know she was staying here. Potter, it is my business what this girl's name is; it is my duty to escort guests in or out of my own house. I'm just being a good host." Draco Malfoy smirked smugly. "But then again," he added, "I suppose you've never been a host, living with those filthy Muggles your whole life."
Lily felt anger stirring up inside of her. The Lucius carbon copy had no right to call this Hermione a Mudblood. She herself was a Muggle-born. Plus he had insulted Harry's family, which he had no right to do either, even if they might be horrible. "My name's Lily," she answered. "Lily Evans."
"Well, Lily Evans, what are you doing here with Potter? I can help you choose the right sort to go about with and give you some high-class friends. You don't need to be hanging out with this filth." He spat at Harry's feet.
Lily's eyes flashed angrily. "I've already met Harry and think he's a wonderful boy," she snapped. "You're very rude."
Malfoy looked between Lily and Harry. "Taught her what you did already, Potter? It's a pity. She's quite a pretty creature."
Lily looked at Malfoy disgustedly. He continued to stand there, smirking, when suddenly he grabbed Lily's arm.
"You're coming with me," he hissed. Lily struggled to break free from his grasp.
"No!" she cried.
Harry rushed forward and took hold of Malfoy, trying to break his grasp. "Let her go," he yelled, fighting with Malfoy. "Let her go!"
Malfoy smirked and reached with his other arm into his pocket. He took out his wand. "Stupefy," he muttered.
Harry fell unconscious. Lily stared in horror and took out her wand, but Malfoy was too quick. "Expelliarmus!" he cried. Her wand flew out of her hand. The Dursleys stood watching in fear as Lily struggled, harder than ever, to break free.
"Come on, Ms. Evans," Malfoy said sweetly. "I'm taking you to meet my father."
The Dursleys stood silent with shock as Lily was dragged away, unable to do anything about Harry, who lay unconscious on the floor.
