Harry, Ron, and Hermione dusted themselves off. Trenton hadn't bothered. Ginny was still over his shoulder, but twinging slightly.
"Put her down," Harry said hastily.
Trenton did so, and leaned over her. Her eyelids twitched and fluttered open. She was greeted with a dirty-faced Trenton.
"You all right?" he asked in his baritone voice.
Ginny nodded meekly, then looked around when Trenton straightened up. "Where are we?" she asked.
"Flembourg's," Trenton answered. "A shop not too far from Malfoy's manor. Come on." He held out a hand to help her up.
She took it and looked around at the other three as Trenton walked over to the fireplace. "Where's Malfoy?"
"I don't know. He left last," Ron said. "Maybe we should just go without him."
Trenton looked over with his brow furrowed. "You're right. Follow me," was the last thing anyone had expected him to say.
The left through the doors of the dusty shop. The other four followed Trenton down an almost empty street. There was a field, and on the other side, what looked like gates. There wasn't a manor in sight, though.
"Er.. Mont-- Trenton, do you know if this is the right way?" Ginny asked catching up with him.
He nodded. "I've been there before. I'm not so sure how we're going to get in without Draco, though."
"Should we have waited for him? Maybe something happened."
He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "You honestly think that he can't handle going from one fireplace to another?"
"Well, I know one person who had trouble once.." she said with a glance behind her.
Trenton shook his head. "He didn't go to the same place as us.. on purpose."
Ginny tripped and Trenton grabbed her arm, holding her up and pulling her along. "What do you mean 'on purpose'?"
He let go of her arm. "I mean.. he thinks he can do this without our help. I know as well as he does that his fireplace is connected to his home as well. Not just the village near it."
Ginny scrunched up her nose. "Slimy sneak.."
"He thinks it'll give him enough time to find Abby himself." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "And maybe he will. But we're still going."
---
Draco stood in the fireplace and dusted himself off. It didn't do much good, but he felt slightly better. He stepped into the drawing room of his manor.
"Hello, son. I knew you'd come visit me sooner or later," Lucius said grinning from one side of a long black wooden table.
"Greetings, Dad!" Draco said cheerily.
Lucius blinked. He opened his mouth, but apparently was lost for words. He cleared his throat. Then, surprising even himself, still had nothing to say.
"What's wrong, Pa? Did the kiddy you kidnapped get your tongue?" Draco sat down at the table and propped his feet up.
"Are you disrespecting me?" Lucius said coldly, staring at his son in astonishment.
Draco looked at himself. "Probably." He shrugged.
"I suppose you're wondering where you're girlfriend is," Draco's father said, a cold smirk playing across his lips.
Draco pointed a finger at him. "You know! I'm not, actually. Considering I don't have a girlfriend." He chastised his father with a smile.
"Your attitude is dispicable, Draco. I will not tolerate this. You know exactly what I mean. Follow me." Lucius turned around and his dark robes swished.
Draco followed, making sure his expression was unreadable. They walked into the fencing room. Abby was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. She was unconscious.
"Here she is," Lucius said.
"What? You mean you aren't going to blindfold me or spin me around anything? You're just going to.. show her to me? Bloody hell, Father. You gave up really easily." Draco knew he was getting to his dad. It was only a matter of time before he'd get himself cursed. Draco knew what he was doing though.
Lucius pulled out his wand, but he didn't point it at Draco. He pointed it at Abby. "I have no use for her. She's served her purpose. Avada Kedavra!"
---
The five of them.. though separated into two groups, made their way across the field. The grass seemed to get grayer as they approached the gates. Finally they reached them. Black iron bars weaved in all directions, almost like some disturbing spiderweb. It intricately formed the letter 'M' in the middle. The entire property seemed to be bordered with high cement walls. It wasn't at all picturesque. Ginny went to walk up to the gate, when a strong arm shot out in front of her chest and pushed her back.
"Careful. It isn't only iron keeping us from getting in there," Trenton said cautiously. He whipped out his wand. "Invenio!"
A silver light came out of his wand as though it were being sprayed. He guided the light over to the wall and let it wash over it. Sparks began issuing from the wall. "Quiesco!" he muttered, and the sparks stopped.
"All right," he said firmly, turning around and facing the others. "We need to climb the wall. It's the only safe way in."
The other four looked up at the wall reluctantly. It had to be twenty feet.
"And when we get to the top.. what do you suppose we do? Jump? Break a few bones?" Ron retored testily.
Trenton shrugged. "Yeah. Come on. I'll go first."
Finding all the right holes in the wall, Trenton climbed. Once he got on the other side he eased himself down. The others heard a thump as he jumped down, probably from halfway down the wall.
Ginny went next. Once she got to the top her foot slipped.
"Ginny!" Ron called.
THUD.
Ginny was sprawled out on the ground. There was a body underneath her.
Trenton panted. "You're pressing into a very important area. I suggest you move." Ginny quickly scurried off of him. He had a pained look on his face.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Just tell them to start coming over the wall." He clutched one of his sides.
Ginny told the others to hurry up. Then she looked around her. It was nothing like she thought it would be. Looking through the gates you couldn't see anything but vacant lifeless land. Now she saw a lake.. green grass.. existence of life. Not at all what she'd expected. Across the lake was a huge mansion. It looked well kept, although the walls were black. There were even white flowers along the bank of the lake.
"There's a lot of magic at work here," Trenton said from behind her. "A lot of hired help also."
Ginny turned around. Hermione was making her way down the wall. Ron and Harry were also inside, and staring around in awe.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron said clutching his stomach. "This place is.. it's.. I have no bloody idea."
Hermione hopped onto the ground and when she looked around she gasped. "Oh my.."
"Come on.. we need to find Draco." He started walking towards the edge of the lake. Walking around it led to the manor's doors, which, unlike the landscape, looked quite unwelcoming.
Trenton opened the door once they reached it. It swung open without trouble. Ginny walked up from behind him.
"That seemed easy.."
Trenton looked down at her. "He was expecting us. Well.. he was expecting Draco. He probably knows we're here too. It would have been much more difficult to even get over that wall if he weren't hoping for anyone to sneak in."
Ginny followed him in. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were behind them. Their wands were out.
"I feel stupid," Harry whispered to Hermione.
"Why?"
"When do we follow a Slytherin into a Death Eater's house?" Harry raised his eyebrows at her.
"Did I not bring that up before we left? But you want to help Abby. That's why you're here." Hermione looked around corners as they entered the manor. It was dark except for a flickering light at the end of the hallway. There was artwork on the walls, each of a different scowling man.
"Do you think there are happy people in this family? Maybe a chance of a puppy dog?" Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione.
Trenton stopped. He heard voices. He motioned for the others to remain quiet.
Draco couldn't move. He was staring at Abby. The force of the spell had knocked her chair over. She was still tied to it. Her hair had fallen into her face and she was utterly lifeless. Draco's teeth were gritted. His hands were shaking in his pockets. The hand grasping his wand was slippery with sweat.
"Why didn't you save her, Draco? Why didn't you jump in front of her chair? Hex me? Anything?" Lucius had a manic grin on his face. "I'll tell you why, son. Because you are incapable."
Draco felt sick. He looked at his father, and he noticed he was panting. "Why should I even ask what you mean? I know you're going to tell me."
Lucius smirked. "When you were born, I was able to give you certain qualities. Those were resourcefulness, determination, cleverness," he grit his teeth as he continued, "..wit. I was also able to give you qualities most humans do not possess. Strength of mind beyond what is normal and the incapability to feel."
Draco felt rage rising in his stomach. His father continued as though in a conversation over tea.
"You cannot love, Draco. You fooled yourself in coming here. This entire rescue mission was a losing battle. You don't love this girl. You never would have. But now you are here, and I wish to speak with you." Lucius clasped his hands in front of him. "Now. When I was sent to Azkaban, I thought I'd see you at least try to free me.. to visit me. I'd hoped you'd delve into my unfinished work. Find the Dark Lord.. save your family. You did not do this."
Draco saw something in the corner of his eye as he stared at his father. The words weren't coming in so clearly anymore. He took a glance at Abby. Something funny was happening to her.
"You are a disappointment, Draco. You have done nothing to assist me or our kind of people. You even diddled a Gryffindor. How touching." Lucius continued speaking to him, but no longer looking at him.
Abby's hair was getting shorter. Her nose was elongating and she was getting taller. She was now in the form of a man who Draco did not recognise. He pulled his wand on his father and shouted "Expelliarmus!" before he could think to protect himself.
Lucius flew backwards and hit the wall with such force that he was knocked out. Trenton, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all ran into the room.
"Thanks for all the help," Draco said in an annoyed tone.
"Well you were the one who sent us a couple miles from here. Didn't you WANT to do this on your own?" Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Who's that?" Ron asked, pointing to the man in the chair.
Draco shrugged. "I haven't a clue. He's dead though. Apparently he's someone my father gave Polyjuice Potion to, so he'd look like Abby. He tried to make me think he'd killed her."
"Where's Abby then?" Harry asked.
Draco sighed. "I don't know. But we need to do something with him." He knocked his head in his father's direction.
Hermione picked up his wand and snapped it in half. Then she pointed her own at him. Ropes flew out and wrapped around him firmly, gagging him as well. She muttered another incantation and a cage that seemed to be made of white light surrounded him. "That should keep him."
Draco blinked. "Are you sure you don't want to glue his arse to the floor or anything? Handcuff him? Find Umbridge and make her sit on him?"
She glared at him before looking at Harry. "We need to search the place for Abby. If she isn't here.. do you have any idea where she could be?"
"Again, Granger, I don't KNOW. Come on. Let's search the house. Well there are six of us. The four of you get along, and Trenton and I get along... usually. So let's just split up that way."
Ginny made a funny noise in her throat. "I can go with you guys. Make it even?"
Draco stared at her. Trenton grinned and spoke. "All right. Us three and you three."
Ron glared. "Ginny, are you sure--"
"I'm positive," she said firmly.
"You guys search upstairs. Don't.. get yourselves lost. It's hard enough finding one person in this place. And we should try and get out of here before my father wakes up. Then again all we need to do is ask Granger to bang his head against the wall a couple of times." Draco grinned.
Hermione scowled at him. Ron had a dreamy look in his eye. "Ahh.. the Wrath of Hermione." She elbowed him in the stomach.
---
"Where are we going, Malfoy?" Ginny asked.
"Cellar," he said simply.
"Is that next to the burrowing dragon, bottomless pit, or inescapable dungeons?" She grinned at Trenton.
Draco continued walking quickly. "Dungeons actually. The other two are at our summer house."
Ginny snorted. Trenton frowned. "I'm funny!"
She blinked. "..I'm sorry, what?"
"Nevermind.." he muttered softly, redness creeping into his face.
Draco kicked up the rug. It didn't seem as though anything were underneath. Then he got on his knees and felt around. His right hand pushed down on an ordinary stone slab and it moved aside, revealing stairs. The three of them descended into the darkness beneath the manor.
"Put her down," Harry said hastily.
Trenton did so, and leaned over her. Her eyelids twitched and fluttered open. She was greeted with a dirty-faced Trenton.
"You all right?" he asked in his baritone voice.
Ginny nodded meekly, then looked around when Trenton straightened up. "Where are we?" she asked.
"Flembourg's," Trenton answered. "A shop not too far from Malfoy's manor. Come on." He held out a hand to help her up.
She took it and looked around at the other three as Trenton walked over to the fireplace. "Where's Malfoy?"
"I don't know. He left last," Ron said. "Maybe we should just go without him."
Trenton looked over with his brow furrowed. "You're right. Follow me," was the last thing anyone had expected him to say.
The left through the doors of the dusty shop. The other four followed Trenton down an almost empty street. There was a field, and on the other side, what looked like gates. There wasn't a manor in sight, though.
"Er.. Mont-- Trenton, do you know if this is the right way?" Ginny asked catching up with him.
He nodded. "I've been there before. I'm not so sure how we're going to get in without Draco, though."
"Should we have waited for him? Maybe something happened."
He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. "You honestly think that he can't handle going from one fireplace to another?"
"Well, I know one person who had trouble once.." she said with a glance behind her.
Trenton shook his head. "He didn't go to the same place as us.. on purpose."
Ginny tripped and Trenton grabbed her arm, holding her up and pulling her along. "What do you mean 'on purpose'?"
He let go of her arm. "I mean.. he thinks he can do this without our help. I know as well as he does that his fireplace is connected to his home as well. Not just the village near it."
Ginny scrunched up her nose. "Slimy sneak.."
"He thinks it'll give him enough time to find Abby himself." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "And maybe he will. But we're still going."
---
Draco stood in the fireplace and dusted himself off. It didn't do much good, but he felt slightly better. He stepped into the drawing room of his manor.
"Hello, son. I knew you'd come visit me sooner or later," Lucius said grinning from one side of a long black wooden table.
"Greetings, Dad!" Draco said cheerily.
Lucius blinked. He opened his mouth, but apparently was lost for words. He cleared his throat. Then, surprising even himself, still had nothing to say.
"What's wrong, Pa? Did the kiddy you kidnapped get your tongue?" Draco sat down at the table and propped his feet up.
"Are you disrespecting me?" Lucius said coldly, staring at his son in astonishment.
Draco looked at himself. "Probably." He shrugged.
"I suppose you're wondering where you're girlfriend is," Draco's father said, a cold smirk playing across his lips.
Draco pointed a finger at him. "You know! I'm not, actually. Considering I don't have a girlfriend." He chastised his father with a smile.
"Your attitude is dispicable, Draco. I will not tolerate this. You know exactly what I mean. Follow me." Lucius turned around and his dark robes swished.
Draco followed, making sure his expression was unreadable. They walked into the fencing room. Abby was tied to a chair in the middle of the room. She was unconscious.
"Here she is," Lucius said.
"What? You mean you aren't going to blindfold me or spin me around anything? You're just going to.. show her to me? Bloody hell, Father. You gave up really easily." Draco knew he was getting to his dad. It was only a matter of time before he'd get himself cursed. Draco knew what he was doing though.
Lucius pulled out his wand, but he didn't point it at Draco. He pointed it at Abby. "I have no use for her. She's served her purpose. Avada Kedavra!"
---
The five of them.. though separated into two groups, made their way across the field. The grass seemed to get grayer as they approached the gates. Finally they reached them. Black iron bars weaved in all directions, almost like some disturbing spiderweb. It intricately formed the letter 'M' in the middle. The entire property seemed to be bordered with high cement walls. It wasn't at all picturesque. Ginny went to walk up to the gate, when a strong arm shot out in front of her chest and pushed her back.
"Careful. It isn't only iron keeping us from getting in there," Trenton said cautiously. He whipped out his wand. "Invenio!"
A silver light came out of his wand as though it were being sprayed. He guided the light over to the wall and let it wash over it. Sparks began issuing from the wall. "Quiesco!" he muttered, and the sparks stopped.
"All right," he said firmly, turning around and facing the others. "We need to climb the wall. It's the only safe way in."
The other four looked up at the wall reluctantly. It had to be twenty feet.
"And when we get to the top.. what do you suppose we do? Jump? Break a few bones?" Ron retored testily.
Trenton shrugged. "Yeah. Come on. I'll go first."
Finding all the right holes in the wall, Trenton climbed. Once he got on the other side he eased himself down. The others heard a thump as he jumped down, probably from halfway down the wall.
Ginny went next. Once she got to the top her foot slipped.
"Ginny!" Ron called.
THUD.
Ginny was sprawled out on the ground. There was a body underneath her.
Trenton panted. "You're pressing into a very important area. I suggest you move." Ginny quickly scurried off of him. He had a pained look on his face.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Just tell them to start coming over the wall." He clutched one of his sides.
Ginny told the others to hurry up. Then she looked around her. It was nothing like she thought it would be. Looking through the gates you couldn't see anything but vacant lifeless land. Now she saw a lake.. green grass.. existence of life. Not at all what she'd expected. Across the lake was a huge mansion. It looked well kept, although the walls were black. There were even white flowers along the bank of the lake.
"There's a lot of magic at work here," Trenton said from behind her. "A lot of hired help also."
Ginny turned around. Hermione was making her way down the wall. Ron and Harry were also inside, and staring around in awe.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Ron said clutching his stomach. "This place is.. it's.. I have no bloody idea."
Hermione hopped onto the ground and when she looked around she gasped. "Oh my.."
"Come on.. we need to find Draco." He started walking towards the edge of the lake. Walking around it led to the manor's doors, which, unlike the landscape, looked quite unwelcoming.
Trenton opened the door once they reached it. It swung open without trouble. Ginny walked up from behind him.
"That seemed easy.."
Trenton looked down at her. "He was expecting us. Well.. he was expecting Draco. He probably knows we're here too. It would have been much more difficult to even get over that wall if he weren't hoping for anyone to sneak in."
Ginny followed him in. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were behind them. Their wands were out.
"I feel stupid," Harry whispered to Hermione.
"Why?"
"When do we follow a Slytherin into a Death Eater's house?" Harry raised his eyebrows at her.
"Did I not bring that up before we left? But you want to help Abby. That's why you're here." Hermione looked around corners as they entered the manor. It was dark except for a flickering light at the end of the hallway. There was artwork on the walls, each of a different scowling man.
"Do you think there are happy people in this family? Maybe a chance of a puppy dog?" Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione.
Trenton stopped. He heard voices. He motioned for the others to remain quiet.
Draco couldn't move. He was staring at Abby. The force of the spell had knocked her chair over. She was still tied to it. Her hair had fallen into her face and she was utterly lifeless. Draco's teeth were gritted. His hands were shaking in his pockets. The hand grasping his wand was slippery with sweat.
"Why didn't you save her, Draco? Why didn't you jump in front of her chair? Hex me? Anything?" Lucius had a manic grin on his face. "I'll tell you why, son. Because you are incapable."
Draco felt sick. He looked at his father, and he noticed he was panting. "Why should I even ask what you mean? I know you're going to tell me."
Lucius smirked. "When you were born, I was able to give you certain qualities. Those were resourcefulness, determination, cleverness," he grit his teeth as he continued, "..wit. I was also able to give you qualities most humans do not possess. Strength of mind beyond what is normal and the incapability to feel."
Draco felt rage rising in his stomach. His father continued as though in a conversation over tea.
"You cannot love, Draco. You fooled yourself in coming here. This entire rescue mission was a losing battle. You don't love this girl. You never would have. But now you are here, and I wish to speak with you." Lucius clasped his hands in front of him. "Now. When I was sent to Azkaban, I thought I'd see you at least try to free me.. to visit me. I'd hoped you'd delve into my unfinished work. Find the Dark Lord.. save your family. You did not do this."
Draco saw something in the corner of his eye as he stared at his father. The words weren't coming in so clearly anymore. He took a glance at Abby. Something funny was happening to her.
"You are a disappointment, Draco. You have done nothing to assist me or our kind of people. You even diddled a Gryffindor. How touching." Lucius continued speaking to him, but no longer looking at him.
Abby's hair was getting shorter. Her nose was elongating and she was getting taller. She was now in the form of a man who Draco did not recognise. He pulled his wand on his father and shouted "Expelliarmus!" before he could think to protect himself.
Lucius flew backwards and hit the wall with such force that he was knocked out. Trenton, Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all ran into the room.
"Thanks for all the help," Draco said in an annoyed tone.
"Well you were the one who sent us a couple miles from here. Didn't you WANT to do this on your own?" Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Who's that?" Ron asked, pointing to the man in the chair.
Draco shrugged. "I haven't a clue. He's dead though. Apparently he's someone my father gave Polyjuice Potion to, so he'd look like Abby. He tried to make me think he'd killed her."
"Where's Abby then?" Harry asked.
Draco sighed. "I don't know. But we need to do something with him." He knocked his head in his father's direction.
Hermione picked up his wand and snapped it in half. Then she pointed her own at him. Ropes flew out and wrapped around him firmly, gagging him as well. She muttered another incantation and a cage that seemed to be made of white light surrounded him. "That should keep him."
Draco blinked. "Are you sure you don't want to glue his arse to the floor or anything? Handcuff him? Find Umbridge and make her sit on him?"
She glared at him before looking at Harry. "We need to search the place for Abby. If she isn't here.. do you have any idea where she could be?"
"Again, Granger, I don't KNOW. Come on. Let's search the house. Well there are six of us. The four of you get along, and Trenton and I get along... usually. So let's just split up that way."
Ginny made a funny noise in her throat. "I can go with you guys. Make it even?"
Draco stared at her. Trenton grinned and spoke. "All right. Us three and you three."
Ron glared. "Ginny, are you sure--"
"I'm positive," she said firmly.
"You guys search upstairs. Don't.. get yourselves lost. It's hard enough finding one person in this place. And we should try and get out of here before my father wakes up. Then again all we need to do is ask Granger to bang his head against the wall a couple of times." Draco grinned.
Hermione scowled at him. Ron had a dreamy look in his eye. "Ahh.. the Wrath of Hermione." She elbowed him in the stomach.
---
"Where are we going, Malfoy?" Ginny asked.
"Cellar," he said simply.
"Is that next to the burrowing dragon, bottomless pit, or inescapable dungeons?" She grinned at Trenton.
Draco continued walking quickly. "Dungeons actually. The other two are at our summer house."
Ginny snorted. Trenton frowned. "I'm funny!"
She blinked. "..I'm sorry, what?"
"Nevermind.." he muttered softly, redness creeping into his face.
Draco kicked up the rug. It didn't seem as though anything were underneath. Then he got on his knees and felt around. His right hand pushed down on an ordinary stone slab and it moved aside, revealing stairs. The three of them descended into the darkness beneath the manor.