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Chapter 32: Malfoy's Mystery

Draco rolled out of bed. How he did not want to get out of bed this morning. And what was he supposed to be doing here for the rest of the summer anyway? His father had sent him here to spy, but now his father was in Azkaban. Would some other Death Eater contact him for information? Did they know about the arrangement? Would they assume it? Would Voldemort himself contact him? Draco shuddered at that last thought. After seeing Snape's memory, he wasn't quite sure he wanted anything to do with the psychopath who styled himself the Dark Lord. Grindelwald he would have served, but Voldemort... Voldemort was a bit too maniacal for his taste. Draco liked his head firmly attached to his shoulders, thank you very much, and lunatics often acted unwisely. He wanted power, but the price was high, the risk great.

Draco dressed and went to the kitchens for breakfast, as he felt the need to take a walk. Dumbledore had told him how to get there and how to summon the elves earlier, as there were no communal mealtimes during the summer holidays. Draco just hoped Potter wasn't there. Potter probably has the house elves waiting on him hand and foot, thought Draco, quite aware of the irony of that thought. After all, he had grown up being served by an elf. Draco wondered why his father had sacked the elf, though he had thought better of asking, it seemed a sensitive topic.

Draco tickled the pair on the portrait leading to the kitchens and ordered breakfast from the elves.

Draco sneered at an elf in a skirt that looked a right mess: what a disgrace of an elf.

"This tea was brewed for at least four minutes. I like my black tea brewed for no more than three minutes," sneered Draco, "bring me another glass, elf." said Draco to the nearest cowering creature.

Honestly, these elves were not properly trained: they should know his preferences by now.

Draco wasn't one to overreact to such things, though. He found it rather unrefined behavior to punish elves with violence: there was no dignity in such actions.

After drinking his properly brewed tea and eating a modest breakfast, well, modest for a teenage boy, in any case, Draco decided to go for a stroll.

As Draco approached the Entrance Hall, he noticed Hagrid and McGonnagal floating someone into the building. Having a healthy curiosity, Draco stealthily followed, trying to get a good look at the girl that was being brought in. She was perfectly still - stunned, Draco suspected - and the only feature Draco could see was her long black hair, dirty and entwined with twigs and leaves.

Draco followed all the way to the infirmary.

"Found 'er just outside the road away from Hogsmeade," said Hagrid to Poppy, who had bustled toward the man the moment she had seen the pair of Professors heading toward her, the girl floating before them. "On the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest."

That was all Draco was able to gather, as McGonnagal shut the door firmly behind her once the three were inside the infirmary.

This was interesting. This could be important. Draco had to find out more. Because it was important, of course, not because he had a curiosity to rival Potter's.

Draco returned to the dungeons: he would make and Invisibility Beverage, then return to the infirmary. Draco idly wondered if Snape habitually drank potions to make himself less noticeable. A variation of the Invisibility Beverage, perhaps? That could be useful. Draco didn't know that any such potion existed, which would only increase its usefulness if Snape had concocted one.

On his way to the potions classroom, Draco passed his own rooms, as well as Potter's and Snape's.

Draco noticed Potter crouching in front of Snape's door, flicking his wand and saying, "Accio, Accio!" Potter appeared quite distraught. Whatever Potter was trying to get, he clearly wasn't succeeding.

"Can't even manage a simple Summoning Charm, Potter?" drawled Draco.

"Bugger off, Malfoy," was Potter's ever-so-brilliant response.

"You know, I should inform Professor Snape about this," said Draco, slowly advancing toward Potter in what he sincerely hoped was an intimidating manner.

"Don't you dare!" growled Potter.

"Daren't I? Oh, but I would dare. See, I suspect Professor Snape would be altogether pleased with me for doing so, and I'm sure watching him release his wrath unto you would be amusing in the extreme."

Potter ground his teeth.

Draco was having fun with this.

"Is Potter afraid of Big Bad Professor Snape?" taunted Draco.

"No, Potter is ready to hex the annoying little ferret," responded Potter, rising to his feet.

Draco held up two hands in a sign of peace. "I do not wish to fight you Potter. Not right now, anyway. I have better things to be doing, you see," condescended Draco. "But I will make you a deal: I have heard a rumor that you possess an Invisibility Cloak. I am in need of stealth right now, and if you lend me this cloak for the day, I will remain silent regarding whatever prank this," Draco made a sweeping gesture which took in Snape's chamber door, "is. If you refuse, you will likely be expelled." This would save Draco several hours' work.

Potter glowered.

Draco waited.

Potter seemed to be having a mental duel with himself as he weighed his options.

"Fine," Potter bit out. "But I want assurance that my cloak will be returned."

"You have my word as a Malfoy," said Draco innocently, his face angelic as his fine hair framed his face. A halo wouldn't have looked out of place above his head.

Potter laughed.

Draco glared. "Fine. Charm a piece of parchment, and we will sign an agreement."

"Done," said Potter.

After half an hour of haggling over the exact wording of the Agreement, Draco felt drained. At this point, figured Draco, he had a serviceable excuse to go see Pomfrey without being invisible. Of course, being invisible had the added benefit of allowing him to overhear conversations that would not have been held in his presence.

Draco reached the infirmary, and was glad to see that the door was ajar. Snape and Dumbledore were now in there. Perfect. It would seem Draco had made it right on time.

"She was just lying there?" questioned Snape.

"That is what Hagrid tells me. It is most odd, don't you think?" said Dumbledore, who was currently leaning over the bed on which the girl lay.

"Indeed," said Snape. "And no beasts had approached her from the Forest?"

"None at all. Poppy found no wounds that had been inflicted an animal. She appears to have been shielded by a magical barrier. It is most bizarre." responded Dumbledore.

"I concur. Someone wanted her to be found. They did her injury, but did not want to kill her, and this either happened near Hogwarts grounds or the individual or individuals involved placed her there. Either way, it is certain that we are the ones who were intended to find her. But why?" Snape had begun pacing by this point.

"I suspect we will have to wait until she wakes to find that out," said Dumbledore.

Expecting that the two would soon leave the infirmary, and suspecting that not much more would be said for now, Draco quickly made his way back to the dungeons.

Draco had found himself a mystery to solve.