Chapter 10
Number 56 was a dismal place at the very end of Knockturn Alley. The old flat had once been a busy Poison shop, but when the Ministry created a "No Evil-Poison Selling Shops" law after someone accidentally misread a poison shop sign as "Apothecary" (no one is quite sure how that happened), the store had been closed down and converted into a rather dismal house. The old woman who had owned the house had a son, but he died ignominiously in a strange accident with sausages. The grieving old woman sold her house and then moved to America, in hopes of finding sunny beaches and oranges. She found neither, as it turned out; she died upon reaching New York.
But then the house was sold to an old man. The old man, was a certain Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hermione stood at the end of Knockturn Alley, looking at the row of empty lots before her. A rusty old wagon sat in a pile of dirt, while a saw stuck out of an armchair on top of a table.
"Interesting," was all Draco could say. "I assume this is-"
"Don't say it out loud," Moody warned. "Or we'll have all of Voldemort's Death Eaters on our tails."
Ron shuddered slightly to himself.
"Now, think what you memorized," Sirius intoned, and Hermione and Draco thought furiously. Suddenly, a dark gloomy house popped out of nowhere.
"Kind of reminds me of home," Sirius said, without any fondness whatsoever. Hermione understood completely, number 12 Grimmauld Place had had the same dark aura that hung around the building like a shroud.
"Welcome," Moody said, grinning maniacally. "Perfect place for a headquarters, eh?" He hit his fist against the door, completely ignoring the door-knocker. "Right in the middle of the Dark magic meeting place, right down the street from everything illegal. No one would ever suspect us here!"
The door swung open, and Ginny Weasley poked her head around. Her face lit up, seeing Hermione standing uncomfortably on the door step.
"We've got lunch waiting," she said, swinging the door wide open, and ushering them in.
Hermione was instantly reminded of the stately houses of the nobility, made entirely of gold and marble. Indeed, the inside of number 56 Knockturn Alley had once been beautiful. But now, the sweeping grand staircase was covered in dust, the gold chandelier was broken, and the house was musty and dark.
"Just like home," Draco said to himself, his heart constricting suddenly, and he clenched his hands.
"I'll show you to your room," Ron said gaily, leading them up the creaking stairs, and then off to the right. "You'll be right next to Ginny."
"Oh good," Hermione said cheerfully. "You can't believe how wonderful it is to see another girl about my age, I've been stuck with Draco for the last couple weeks. Well, I take that back there was Cho-"
Draco clapped his hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Ron spun around, his blue eyes wide.
"Cho?"
"Oh shit," Hermione said, instantly guilty. "Forget that Ron."
"Okay," he said slowly. "But, if this is important, be sure to tell Dumbledoreā¦"
"Okay, okay," Draco said quickly. "Now where is our room?"
"There are six big bedrooms in the house," Ron explained. "The master, and then five slightly smaller. You guys get one of the big rooms, because there's two of you." He stopped. "Unless, you don't want to share a room-"
"No, that's fine," Draco said hastily. "Nothing wrong with that."
Hermione grinned, and elbowed him.
"Here's your room!" Ron said, opening the double doors. The room had a bay window, with a nice view of the street, as well as a giant bed. Hermione was relieved to see that someone had changed the sheets, as well as put on a clean comforter and pillows.
"Thanks Ron," she said as he backed out of the room. There was a private bathroom, which had also been cleaned, and a large closet.
A desk sat in the corner of the room, dusted, but locked.
"Hey Hermione," Draco called to her as he looked at the desk. "My dad has a desk just like this."
Hermione looked at him in alarm. "He does?"
"Oh yeah," he continued. "Same patterning and everything. But his has his initials carved on the top." Draco fingered the carved initials on the top of the desk.
"M.M," Hermione read aloud. "I wonder if it belongs to another Malfoy."
"Only one way to find out," Draco said cheerfully. "I'll go get Sirius."
Draco came back presently with Sirius, who was still munching on his bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich.
"Hmm," he said through bites. "Interesting." He stuffed the sandwich into his back pocket and got out his wand.
"Hey, how did you get your wand?" Hermione asked. "I thought it was destroyed when you went through the Veil."
Sirius grinned. "Well, Dumbledore says I dropped it, but I suspect he had something to do with it. Now about this desk⦠ALOHOMORA!"
The lock did not click.
"Fascinating," Sirius said. He put his wand in his other back pocket, closed his eyes, and touched the lock. It glowed bright red, and then clicked open. The desk fell open, and Sirius opened his eyes.
"Ta da!" he said, taking out his sandwich again, and then ambling out of the room.
"What the hell?" Draco said.
"Well, maybe Hades gave him some special powers," Hermione said. "He gave me some."
"What did he give you?" Draco asked.
"You'll see," Hermione said, looking into the desk.
It hadn't been opened in many years, and the dust was overwhelming. However, the past owner hadn't cleared out the desk, and many letters and papers remained.
"Look at this!" Draco yelped, wiping dust off an envelope.
"What?" Hermione asked, pulling out a quill from a dried up inkwell. "What is it?"
"It's addressed to my dad!"
"Your dad!" Hermione exclaimed. "Read it!"
"Dear Lucius," Draco read aloud, "I hope this letter finds you well. Many things have arisen, that I feel it is my duty to inform you of. My daughter has run off with a wizard from France, and is currently cavorting around Paris, married. I am sorry to tell you this, but the marriage must be broken off, as she is as of the moment, married to someone else. I intend on going to Paris and dragging her back if need be. I shall keep you informed on what happens. Sincerely, Talfryn Malfoy."
"Malfoy?" Hermione asked in confusion. "That would mean the girl in the afore mentioned letter would also be a Malfoy therefore-"
"If she was marrying my dad, she would be marrying within the family," Draco said grimly. "I wonder who this girl is?"
"And why was she engaged to her own relative?" Hermione questioned. Draco rifled through a few more letters, and pulled out another, also addressed to Lucius Malfoy.
"What have we unearthed?" Hermione asked in horror.
Draco set his jaw grimly. "I don't know, but I intend to get to the bottom of it."
A/N: More Malfoy family intrigue... heh heh. Sorry, that family just has too many secrets for me not to make up a few more. Please leave a review!
