A Twisted Candle chapter Ten

Malfoy's eyes widened, and he started breathing harder and harder. 'That must mean Candle!' He thought wildly. Malfoy broke into a run, and muggles looked at him strangely wherever he turned. He felt dizzy all of a sudden, and stumbled. Where could he go? To search the muggle streets from Halloween from when she disappeared? He had searched there a hundred times and judging by the scorched street he found, was where she had been kidnapped, right? He had already searched the place of course but he was willing to take even the smallest clue as to how to save her. He knew where but how? It didn't matter. The Ministry of Magic had enough trouble trying to cover up their whereabouts from the muggles so the scorched street was said to have been empty Halloween night and that as a prank someone lit a fire. The police were still conducting their search, fools. Malfoy, after some walking, saw the street that had been scorched. Malfoy sat on a scorched bench. Did Candle sit here? Malfoy sat there with emptiness. A newspaper rolled by and Malfoy saw the cover. The only victim from the fire was recovering in the hospital from serious burns, but he would live. Malfoy walked to the hospital, perhaps the man saw something. The Police kept saying what the muggle said he saw was confidential, in other words, if he saw anything they took him to be insane or upset. Who would believe there had been magic used? Malfoy approached the man's bed. He looked like he'd been burned, and Malfoy had to stop himself from cringing. Malfoy beat around the bush till he finally asked the man what happened. To Malfoy's horror but as he expected, the old man said that he'd seen a girl sitting on a bench, and suddenly a fire ball sort of thing came flying at her. "She tried to dodge, but got singed around the legs. Then a tall figure picked her up, and, this might sound crazy, but they just disappeared out of thin air. I've been lying here for about, oh, I dunno, a month, maybe? Seems like it gets harder to tell time these days, like old age just kind of-" Malfoy cut him off. "Uh, sir, did you by any chance see what this girl, uh, looked like?" He asked, and dreading the answer he knew was coming, but just had to know for sure. "Why, I believe she was a blonde, with long, shiny hair. She was skinny, about your age. Looked down right miserable if you ask me-hey, why ARE you asking me? Do you know her or something?" the old man finished, eyeing Malfoy, curiously. But Malfoy didn't answer. He didn't like the way the old man kept putting his Candle in past tense, if it was really she. Instead, he had another, frightening question to ask. "S- sir. W-where exactly w-was this g-girl s-sitting?" he mumbled. The old man looked off in the distance suddenly dazed. "She was....on a bench alone...." he murmured like a trance. "WHO TOOK HER AWAY?" he asked, growing paler by the second, if that was possible. "I couldn't see. It was so dark and the flames were everywhere!" the man exclaimed. Before the man could get another word in Malfoy was gone. He had to reach the portal that brought him back to Hogwarts, and fast, before it was too late.

Harry sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room, when a gust of wind blew, and he looked over the back of his chair to find...Malfoy lying in a tired heap on the floor beside a portal. Malfoy looked up at him, but before he could say one nasty word, as Harry KNEW he would for having landed in this 'dump' as Malfoy now called the Gryffindor common room, he snapped, "Get out of here, Malfoy, or you won't look as 'healthy' as you do now." But, to Harry's immense disbelief, Malfoy didn't reply with one of his usual snide remarks or taunts, but just got up and got right in Harry's face. "As much as I HATE having to do this, and not that I would've chosen this if the circumstances were different-" "Just spit it out already." Harry yawned, bored. Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "For your information, POTTER. Don't you find it a LITTLE bit strange that Candle has been gone for so long?" At this, Harry straightened, and, in a tone that he never knew he had, growled, furiously, "What have you done with Candle?! You BETTER face up or there'll be one more patient for Madam Pomfrey to attend to! And I am NOT bluffing!" Malfoy eyes flared, and, if looks could kill, well, I'm sure you know what would happen to Harry. Malfoy took Harry's sweater and threw him into a nearby shelf. Harry threw a massive punch at Malfoy, which struck home, and sent Malfoy hurtling across the room. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny then came into the room, and Ginny almost tripped over Malfoy, since she'd been in the lead to come see Harry. Ron caught her just before she fell on Malfoy, and she was very grateful. "Thanks, Ron." She then looked down at Malfoy, and yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM?!" Malfoy jumped, despite his rage, and jumped up, practically screaming, "CANDLE IS MISSING! DOESN'T THAT MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU PRATS?! I MEAN, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET YOU TO REALIZE CANDLE IS IN DEEP DANGER, AND IS LUCKY IF SHE'S EVEN ALIVE?! WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ABOUT YOU AND WHY I'M ALWAYS IN YOUR FACE, OR WHO'S TOUGHER, OR WHO CAN HAVE THE WORST, MOST HURTFUL INSULTS?! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THIS IS MORE THAN ALL THAT?! IF YOU CAN'T, THAN YOU REALLY ARE THE STUPID, BRAINLESS, SELFISH PRATS THAT I KNEW YOU WERE FROM THE BEGINNING! WANT TO PROVE ME WRONG? WELL THAN HELP ME FIND CANDLE FROM MY SO-CALLED FATHER, IF YOU EVEN CARE, WHICH I BET YOU DON'T! NOW I DON'T CARE EITHER WAY, BUT I LOVE THAT MUGGLE, AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET HER BACK, THEN I'LL DO IT ALONE! I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE, IN YOUR PEE-WEE LITTLE BRAINS, THAT SOMWHERE IN THERE, SINCE I THOUGHT YOU WERE HER FRIENDS, THAT YOU'D KNOW WHEN SOMETHING'S WRONG, ISTEAD OF SITTING AROUND, DOING ABSOLUTLY NOTHING TO FIND OUT WHY SHE'S BEEN GONE SO LONG LIKE GEE I DUNNO, A MONTH! DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE SHE WOULD HAVE GONE ON AVACATION AS THE MINISTRY SUGGEST?! LAST I CHECKED YOU WERE DUMBLEDORE'S LITTLE FAVORITES AND KNOWING YOUR LITTLE ANGELIC SELVES ARE USUALLY OUT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO'S MISSING LIKE CANDLE! I NEVER KNEW YOU WERE SO STUPID! AND YOU KNOW WHAT?! HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF NEWS FOR YOU! MY FATHER AND I WERE DEATH EATERS! AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE?! HE JUST DISOWNED ME, ALL BECAUSE HE FOUND OUT THAT I WAS IN LOVE WITH A MUGGLE, WHO HAPPENS TO BE IN HIS CLUTCHES THIS VERY MINUTE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE?! YOU DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE A WORD I'M SAYING, BUT IF YOU WANT TO HELP ME GET CANDLE BACK, THEN HURRY UP, BECAUSE I'M NOT WASTING ANOTHER MINUTE OF WHAT MIGHT BE CANDLE'S LAST FEW MOMENTS AROUND HERE!" he finished, heaving. Everyone was completely shocked into silence. Malfoy looked around the room. "We DID look for Candle and still are for your information! We are not that stupid!" Harry yelled angrily. "Oh, for crying out loud, is that all you can give me? If I thought that you could help me, than I really MUST be out of my mind!" he yelled, storming over to the portal, and disappearing into the night. Ron blinked. "Well, that was interesting."

Candle drearily opened her eyes. All she could see was her blonde hair in her face, and she tried to move her arms and legs. She then realized that she was chained to something. Candle moved her head, and as her chin touched her chest, she could feel the sticky blood from earlier. She then realized that she could move her head higher, and strained to look up at her surroundings. She gasped when she felt yet another punch in the stomach, and, once again fell into darkness, but not before she saw her captor. There was just no way....

Malfoy needed to think of a way into Azkaban. Finally, the summer's three events had been revealed. Voldemort had Death Eaters attack the school of Beauxbatons. The reason being Madame Maxime had refused to help Voldemort and as the usual punishment. Downfall of your family or in this case the entire school which the poor French Half-giant was responsible for. Hogsmeade's innocence were attacked, some even killed, as Voldemort's first strike. He made a good dent to seeing as what a tourist attraction Hogsmeade was. Alas, the final event was the downfall or rather rise, whichever you prefer, of Azkaban. Voldemort had taken over the nightmare prison. Kicked out people who were there responsible for whatever good had been done there. The Dementors were enjoying what they got, feasting on the people in Azkaban who were not convicted of being Death Eaters but still prisoners. The people in Azkaban who were Death Eaters were released and given a high "reward" whatever that meant. So now, the problem was left. Candle was there, it was confirmed by the owl sent to him. How could Malfoy get in there? What if she already received a glorious kiss from the Dementors?! Or what if she had been killed?! What if she was alive but was suffering torture beyond fathoming?! Thinking of all the possibilities made Malfoy sicker. He actually felt helpless. There was only one thing Malfoy could think of as to getting into the heavily guarded Azkaban. Malfoy would need to go as a Death Eater. He couldn't go as himself, no doubt it was already known of his "betrayal". Malfoy would need to somehow stop a Death Eater from getting in and then make that potion he had learned in Snape's class that help you take on that person's appearance for a limited time. He would need to look up whatever it was called again, okay so maybe he was a slacker when it came to school. Anyway, he needed to stop someone from getting into Azkaban. After all, Death Eaters were rejoining Voldemort when the "time was right".

Ginny saw Harry in the library. He had been there for days. Something was wrong, ever since Candle disappeared Harry appeared weaker, paler, and sometimes when she looked he would touch his scar as if in pain. He wouldn't allow her to help him in this mystery anymore. He wouldn't allow anyone for some reason. Harry obviously was under the impression this was something he had to do alone. He was reading some Defense Against the Dark Arts book along with one on the history of criminals. He wouldn't find much on Voldemort if that was what he was looking for. The most notorious wizard wouldn't have much to write, everyone was too afraid to write anything about him and cringed at the memory. Ginny turned away slowly. She never would get Harry to notice her. She was just the annoying stalker! She may have loved Harry but she wasn't obsessed! She hated that everyone thought she was. Ginny spotted Malfoy walking down the hall looking very distraught. Despite her current problem with Harry there were more important things. Like her friends. Ginny step in front of Malfoy as he tried to pass. When he tried to move around her, she blocked him again. "What do you want, Weasely?" Malfoy spat. "I want to help you find Candle." Ginny stated calmly but firmly. 'You had your chance!" Malfoy said angrily like she should be ashamed. He then pushed past her but Ginny caught up with him. "I really don't care if you want me to come or not. You cannot order me around and stop me from finding someone I care about. I'm helping with or without your consent." Ginny said defiantly. Malfoy looked at her, regarding her for a moment, and then looked away. "Fine, you can come along but if we have to fight for her you better not be some damsel in distress and get in MY way." Malfoy warned and walked on Ginny following. She would later, hopefully, get the help of Ron and Hermione. Ron would be good for the search, well actually, I dunno, but Hermione would be with her brains.

Ron sat on his bed, and sighed. He felt useless, as usual. Couldn't even help MALFOY find his friend. Now that sounded ALL wrong. HELP MALFOY?! He'd sooner eat slugs again! Help Malfoy...But Candle WAS his friend, and Malfoy WAS trying to get her back, as weird as it seems. But what Ron didn't understand was HOW COULD MALFOY LOVE CANDLE? How could Malfoy love ANYONE?-except maybe himself? Well maybe Malfoy WAS out of his mind! Heck! When had Malfoy ever been right? Ron thought all of a sudden. He was ALWAYS trying to find ways to get them into trouble! 'Why should this time be any different?' He thought angrily. 'Because he actually exploded with emotion in front of you, and actually said he was in love with a MUGGLE! Now does that seem like the Malfoy we all know and despise?' Ron thought of Candle and Malfoy and how they use to 'hang out' together from what Harry had told him so far. Maybe Malfoy IS human, with regular, human emotions? Ron questioned himself, thoughtfully. Then it was like reality hit him on the head and he, Ron, had an idea, for once! He ran out of his room, and almost collided with Hermione. "Whoa! Hey-Hermione! Oh, I thought it was someone else! I just had this idea! Maybe Snape has done something with Candle! I mean, to tell you the truth, she isn't really on Snape's list of favorite pupils. So, I thought, maybe, he'd done something with her, and that him and Malfoy are in it together! 'Cause, let's be honest. Can Malfoy REALLY be capable of the human emotion love, much less a muggle?! And don't criticize me just yet." When Hermione opened her mouth to protest. "Just let me finish." He paused, thinking. "Actually, I'm all done. But, still. Don't go lecturing me on my theory! You always do, and don't try to deny it!" He finished with a deep breath, looking quite pleased with himself. Hermione grimaced, as if she knew that her next words would hurt, but she had to let it out. Ron's high spirits plummeted, and he sighed, saying, "Oh com'on with it already, and stop looking at me that way! I can take whatever wise explanation you have to prove me wrong, as usual!" Hermione pursed her lips, and said, "I don't ALWAYS prove you wrong! It's just, well, I'm..." "A perfectionist. You always correct me, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Candle-" "Exactly WHEN have I ever done that?! Sure I help you all when you say SOME wrong things, but not ALL! If I did that, I'd never get out of bed from exhaustion!" Hermione interjected, hotly. But when Ron started to count off his fingers again, she snapped, "Don't answer that! It was a rhetorical question, Ron!" She exclaimed. Ron went purple in the face and shouted loudly, so loudly that Hermione thought the whole school could've heard him. "THERE YOU GO AGAIN! YOU JUST CORRECTED ME! HAH!" "No I did not, and Ron, please keep your voice down!" Hermione was obviously trying extremely hard to control herself. "WHY DON'T YOU STOP CRITISIZING EVERY MOVE I MAKE, AND I'LL KEEP MY VOICE DOWN! STOP MEDLING IN BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T CONCERN YOU, FOR ONCE! THAT'S A FAIR DEAL, ISN'T IT?" Ron shouted even louder into Hermione's face, and she finally lost it, and screeched, "WELL FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I WASN'T GOING TO CORRECT YOU'RE LITTLE THEORY, I WAS JUST GOING TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE TO MOVE NEXT YEAR AND WILL BE ATTENDIGN A DIFFERENT SCHOOL, AND I THOUGHT I'D TELL YOU FIRST, FOR ONCE! AND SECOND OF ALL, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR IDEA IN THE FIRST PLACE! I ALSO WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I'M GOING TO MISS YOU TERRIBLY! GOODBYE!" she then whirled around, her long hair hitting Ron in the face, and sped out of the Gryffindor house, and down the stairs. All Ron could do was stare at her retreating figure, and try to process properly what Hermione had just told him. "Oh lord...." Ron said mentally slapping himself.

Ginny entered the room and saw Hermione crying. "What's wrong?" Ginny asked comfortingly. Hermione looked up. "I am moving next year and I will be leaving Hogwarts!" Hermione said and cried harder. Ginny was shocked. "You're leaving?! Why?!" Ginny said tearfully. "My parents lost their jobs as Orthodontist and have gotten new jobs as Orthodontist elsewhere." Hermione choked out. "Oh Hermione! I will miss you!" Ginny blurted out and hugged her. Hermione smiled through her tears. "At least you will." Hermione said sadly. Ginny gave her confused face. "What do you mean?" she asked. Hermione looked down. "Well I guess you might as well know, even statistics show that the odds are against 'us' at our age and now that the relationship would become greater the odds have increased. So I guess it's over between me and your brother." Hermione said sniffing. Ginny had a faint light come over her. " First of all what do you mean it's over? And which brother, I have six." Ginny asked. "I have been dating Ron for over a year. But you and Harry have already known, now that I remember you caught us-um-kissing." Hermione said trying to hold back the tears. Ginny was pale. 'EEWW! That's just-Tell me I didn't just hear that! That's just-eww- oh ewww!' Ginny said feeling a gag coming on. "You and my brother, dating?! I mean I saw you kissing but thought you guess only had like a fling or something! I mean you and Ron dating?! You guys hate each other and even then if you did it would only last less than 24 hours!" Ginny asked her voice squeaking and her mouth twitching. Hermione nodded and Ginny's body started to shake a little her mouth twitching upward. Finally, she broke, and landed hard on the ground laughing. Hermione glared at her. "Gee, you're such comfort! Besides, Ron and me are over. He made it very clear today that I am just a nagging girlfriend." Hermione said sobbing. Ginny got up in shame. "Oh I'm sorry Hermione! It just seemed funny, no one could imagine you two together. Besides, my brother's a loser, so why don't you tell me what he did this time." Ginny said sitting beside her.

Harry was reading a book when he felt someone sit beside him. "Hey Ron, how are you today?" "I fell like crap." " 'Scuse me?" "For the past year, Hermione and I have been going out. Today when I actually have a brilliant idea, which wait till you hear this! Snape and Malfoy kidnapped Candle!" Ron exclaimed and Harry arched an eyebrow in surprise, "No don't speak, anyway, like I said even some geniuses like myself have our moments. I yelled Hermione because I thought she was about to give me a lecture on my theory but it turns out she is moving next year and I have hurt her feelings, yep that about covers it." Ron said. Harry had, well, a reaction much like Ginny in his mind. "You and Hermione? And you didn't tell us because?" "That's not important, what is, is me finding a way to apologize to her and there most likely will be some graveling involved. Especially since she already left me a note saying we should break up since she's moving anyway." Ron said sadly. "Have fun, too bad Candle isn't here to consult her." Harry said softly. "Which reminds me, we need to catch Snape and Malfoy in the act!" Ron said. Harry went quiet. "You don't believe me do you?" Ron asked. "Ron, you and I both hate Snape but as much as we've tried proving him wrong before it seems he's always been in the right. "I think his loyalty to the school is true. As for Malfoy, I don't think he did it. I am not sure of his feelings for Candle, I mean he was disowned over it but he's hurt her carelessly in the past. It's skeptical. But anyway, chances are it's all Voldemort." Harry said and went below a whisper near the end. Ron sighed in defeat and looked down.

Malfoy entered his room. It was dark and dismal as it had been the past few days, even Crabbe abandoned him. Malfoy saw something on the corner of his eye. "She will die." the voice whispered foully. Malfoy's heart jumped but he didn't dare look to the side to see who it was in fear. " What do you want?" Malfoy choked out. "Isn't it obvious. For you to suffer. You and Harry Potter." It hissed. Malfoy cringed inwardly but stood firmly. "Why?" he asked swallowing a lump in his throat. " Because for years you have plagued me and my power! I as hoping to use you against Harry but your recent betrayal has furthered my intention to harm you instead. No one refuses me!" it said angrily. "Why did you send me those owls at the beginning of last year?" Malfoy retorted. "I was hoping it would inspire you and maybe distance you from the muggle, I knew from the start she was trouble and her bravery against you could be your weakness." It answered and came up behind Malfoy. He felt its cold breathe on his neck and sent a chill down his back. "Where is she?" Malfoy whispered. "Didn't you get my owl?" the voice asked feigning innocence. "Why there?" Malfoy asked going pale. "You know that places reputation. Imagine what pain she could be going through. She might be dead, tortured beyond words, or even having a kiss from a dementor." The voice taunted. "What do you want with me?! Why her?!" Malfoy practically yelled. "I'll tell you what, let's make a deal, I will release her and take you instead." The voice tempted. "How do I know you'll release her?!" Malfoy countered. The voice chuckled. " You're a smart boy, but not smart enough to know what side to take, it is true I can't 'completely' release her. She will be out of Azkaban prisons and free of torture but Azkaban will remain her home with other Death eaters." The voice said. Malfoy didn't know what to do. "But it would mean she wouldn't die, receive anymore torture, or have her soul sucked from her body." The voice persuaded. Malfoy swallowed hard and felt his heart beating out of his chest. Whatever safety she had couldn't be guaranteed for him. "I'll do it." He choked out. The voice laughed, "It's done!" Malfoy felt blackness take over.