Chapter 14

The Double Kidnap

It took two months for Ginny to join the rest of the school in the Great Hall for meals and Harry believed she would never really get over what had happened to her friend. Mr and Mrs Weasley had both been contacted via Ron's owl, Pig. Ginny was allowed home for a couple of days to get over what had happened, and although she seemed better, Ron, Hermione and Harry knew that she was just trying to seem ok when she really wasn't.

Hermione was still on a guilt trip and was even considering leaving the Committee.

"Harry, I just can't handle that I've lied to the Ministry." She told Harry when they finally had a moment's peace together. "It would be better if I just left the Committee."

"If you leave the Committee, not only will it look like you've done something wrong, they'll know it." Harry told her. "You can't leave; you are the best person on the Committee."

"You would say that," she smiled.

"Well, I'm biased, I would." And he gave her a kiss. "How's Ginny?" He asked.

"Not good. I keep hearing her in the middle of the night crying. She mustn't have slept in weeks."

"Something has to be done, Hermione. We have to tell Dumbledore about our suspicions about Professor Grimalkin. We have to for Ginny's sake." Harry announced.

"Maybe we should tell someone else. They could tell Dumbledore and he would believe them." Hermione suggested.

"If we tell McGonagall she'll give us detention and Evi already has her suspicions, but I don't think she would say."

"What about Snape?" Hermione said.

"Do you really think we could trust him?" Harry asked.

"He has his suspicions and this would give him more evidence for his case. He might be even grateful for the information."

"Yeah, you're right Hermione, as usual. Should we go now?" Harry said, getting up from his seat.

"I better not go." Hermione said. Harry looked at her. "I'm close to Evi, and he'll just think that's its come from her. If you go with Ron, it would be better." It was settled and all they needed was Ron's agreement and they would sort out this mess. But Ron wasn't so keen.

"You have to be kidding! Snape will bite our heads off! No way!"

"Come on Ron, I can't go in alone, I need you. Hermione can't go in, but you can." Harry said trying his best to persuade Ron. "Ginny needs to know that Angeline's killer is caught and that justice can be done. Do it for her if not for me."

"Alright, but if anything goes wrong, don't shout at me if I say I told you so." They were resolved to see Snape on Friday night, when Hermione had another girl's night in with Evi. But neither of them had any idea what they were going to say. They couldn't really knock on his door and say, "Sir, Professor Grimalkin killed Angeline."

Friday came a lot quicker than Harry or Ron expected and they were very nervous, so nervous that they hardly ate a thing all day. They wanted to get it over and done with as soon as possible.

Last lesson was double potions but they knew Snape was never in a good mood after that lesson, so decided to go after dinner that night. Snape was always in his office, that or patrolling the corridors looking for some unsuspecting victim to give detention to.

Everyone had to admit that Snapes' mood had drastically changed ever since Evi had been there. There were many rumours about her and who she was. The most widely believed was that she a student (which was true) and that she was his favourite student. This would make no sense though as they could all tell that she had a certain disregard for the rules which Snape spends his life trying to uphold. But there was definitely something between them, and even the way Dumbledore looked at them made Harry believe that he didn't know either.

They ate their evening meal of chicken, roast potatoes, and carrots all covered in glorious gravy a little quicker than usual. They needed to be one of the first out of the Great hall so they could go down to the Dungeons to see Snape.

The food was cleared away, (well more like disappeared to leave perfectly clean plate behind) and the other Prefects led the way back to the common rooms. Ron and Harry ran out of the Hall and made for the Dungeons. Snape had already left the hall by the time they were allowed to go. They hoped that he had gone to his office and was sitting inside doing some work or coming up with detentions to match Professor Grimalkins.

They knocked on the door. There was no answer, but Ron though he might not have knocked hard enough and tried again. But again there was no answer. Where was he?

"He might have gone to see Evi. Maybe we could catch him going up the stairs." Ron suggested so they ran off up the stairs. They were on the first floor when they heard a voice screaming at them.

"Potter, Weasley! My office. Now!" It was Snape. They obeyed and followed him down to his cold office. When they were inside, and the door shut, he started on them.

"What were you doing traipsing round the corridors at this time of night? You are supposed to be in your common room by now. Explain yourselves." And he sat behind his desk and awaited their reply. They really didn't know where to begin, but he didn't give them a chance to explain.

"Just as I thought. Out to cause trouble as usual. These safety regulations are in place for your safety but Famous Harry Potter doesn't need to obey the rules, do you, just like your father." Harry was bursting to scream at him, but he knew he would be in more trouble than he already is.

"I will have to give you both detentions for this." But he was stopped by Draco Malfoy bursting into his office holding Dobby with his feet off the ground in his hands.

"What is the meaning of this Draco?" Snape shouted.

"Let him go Malfoy!" Harry screamed. But Malfoy didn't listen to either of them. He walked up to the desk and place Dobby on the floor. Dobby made a run for it, but Malfoy got hold of his collar and held him tightly.

He bent down till his face was level with Dobby and in a kinder tone than expected talked to Dobby.

"Tell the Professor what you just told me." But Dobby didn't say anything. Malfoy looked at him, and even raised his hand to him, but didn't strike.

"Please Sir, don't hit Dobby. Please don't make Dobby do this Sir." Dobby Pleaded.

"Dobby, Please." Malfoy said. Dobby took a deep breath.

"Dobby has been witness to something terrible sir." He stopped and looked at Malfoy, as if to ask him to help out, but he didn't, so he continued.

"Dobby was taking something to Professor Dementia's room when I heard something. It was old Master. He...he...he has taken nice Evi and Miss Granger Sir."

Harry couldn't contain himself and shouted out "WHAT!?!" He was becoming panicked.

"Dobby does not know, but that is what he saw." He looked at Draco who let him go, "Go on Dobby, get back to the kitchen." And Dobby quickly ran from Draco's grasp and ran out the room.

"Draco, who does he mean? Who is his 'Old Master'?" said Snape who looked furious.

"That's what we came to tell you. We know who has been doing all of this." Ron said.

"How do you know?" a surprised Draco asked.

"We have our evidence. Every time something happened, she's there."

"She?" Draco said. "Who do you think has done this?"

"Professor Grimalkin of course. We've seen her." Ron said defensively.

"It's not her." Draco said.

"It's Lucius isn't it?" Snape said finally. Draco just nodded. Snape went off into his back cupboard and emerged with a huge Great Grey owl.

"I'll inform the authorities and then, go and see if I can find them." Snape said writing a very quick note. Once he had finished he tied it to his owl and almost at a run, went out of his office and out into the courtyard.

"Professor, where have they taken her, I mean them." Harry's only concern was Hermione, and it obviously showed.

"It's true, the rumours are true. You and Hermione are a couple aren't you?" Ron said. Harry stopped running and just stood there. He felt awful that Ron found out this way.

"You didn't tell me. What a great friend you are." Ron said walking away from him.

"What do you care? You have Cho." That may have not been the right thing to say to Ron. Ron walked back and punched Harry right in the face breaking his nose. Harry hit Ron back and they started rolling around on the floor having his fight in the middle of school grounds.

"Just like Harry Potter to get what he wants." Ron shouted as he gave another blow to Harry. But they soon felt themselves being dragged apart. It was Malfoy and Snape.

"Are you going to help save your friend or stay here and fight over what could be her carcass?" Snape shouted. They both looked at each other and knew that they had to get Hermione back. So cooled off slightly.

"But where have they taken them?" Harry asked again.

"I know exactly where they are," Snape said cryptically. Draco started to follow them.

"Where do you think you're going Malfoy?" Ron said taking his anger out on Malfoy.

"I can help," Malfoy said.

"You can help by waiting here and directing the authorities to the right place," Snape instructed him

"But..." Malfoy tried to protest.

"Just do it!" Snape said angrily.

"Shouldn't we wait for the authorities?" Harry asked.

"No if we wait for the Ministry to come and then have to explain what's going on, Hermione and Evi could be dead, and that's not a risk I'm willing to take." They followed Snape into a dark, wooded area of the grounds. All were unsure what they were doing here. Soon they came across a barn with a padlock on the door. Snape brought out some keys and opened the great doors. And inside was a dark green Jaguar X-type with beige leather interior.

"Who's is this?" Ron asked.

"Mine." Snape answered. "Get in." They all got in the car with Ron in the back and Harry sitting up front, trying to stay as far away from each other as possible. After driving for about ten minutes, at an extra fast speed, they arrived at these huge iron gates. It was the Malfoy Mansion.