Chapter 17 – Meetings
"We have to go and see Dumbledore." Harry insisted "We cannot cope with this on our own." Seamus nodded absentmindedly. He wasn't really listening; he was too busy worrying about his boyfriend. Draco had said that his father had been torturing him. If that was how Lucius treated the boy when he thought Draco was being obedient, what was he going to do now that Draco had openly defied him? It couldn't possibly bode well for the boy. They had to do something. And quickly. Seamus followed Harry out of the dorm, his heart racing. He just hoped that they would be able to help Draco before his father did anything to him. They had only hours it which to save the other boy. Seamus followed blindly as Harry led him along the long, empty corridors towards Dumbledore's office.
Harry led Seamus breathless into Dumbledore's office. The two boys caught their breath while the headmaster looked at them questioningly. Normally would have been displeased by such an intrusion, but he sensed something was wrong so he waited patiently for the boys the regain their composure. Considering the blond boy's relationship with Draco Malfoy, and the Slytherin's absence from the school, there could only possibly be trouble brewing.
"Sir," Seamus whispered desperately "Something just happened. It happened in our dorm. Something which I really need to tell you about…"
As soon as they apperated into his study, Lucius turned and struck his son. How dare the insolent boy dishonour him and his family like that! He owed his father respect and obedience. If anyone knew of his disrespect and his lack of will to fight for what was right, it would bring sham on the Malfoy name. His son was a coward, and worse, a mud-blood lover. The thought made Lucius cringe. No one is his extended family's history had anyone ever been inflicted wit that trait. It was just not acceptable! Well, no one except Draco's uncle, that bloody Sirius Black. The useless bastard had got himself locked in Azkaban for something he hadn't even done. And Lucius could blame Narcissa for that. Sirius was a Black, NOT a MALFOY.
Lucius glared down at his son, his heart filled with loathing. How could the boy do this to him. How could the boy have turned out this way, with all the careful tuition Lucius had been plying on him from birth. If it wasn't for the fact that Draco looked more Malfoy than Black, Lucius would have suspected his mother had cheated on him. As it was there was no denying that the boy was his son, and that only angered Lucius even more. He hated the thought that a true, pure-blooded Malfoy could behave the way his son did.
Draco sat in a heap on the floor where he had fallen after his father had struck him. How could his father do this to him? Weren't parents supposed to love their children unquestionable, and protect them from all harm? What had gone wrong in their father/son relationship for all this to happen? Why was his father trying to do this to him? Why was his father trying to turn him into something and someone he didn't want to be? Draco glared at his father, angry at what was being done to him. Why was his father so determined to cause destruction? Why couldn't he appreciate what surrounded him, rather they trying to change everything?
Father and son glared at each other, their anger and resentment adding tension to the air. Neither was willing to give in to the other. Deep down, Draco knew that he could never win, but was going to fight to the end. He had passed the point of no return and he was no longer going to just do what his father wanted. For the first time in his life, he was determined to do what was right. He owed Seamus at least that much.
As he glared at his son, Lucius suddenly realised that the boy would no longer submit willingly to his father. He was going to have to force the boy. There was a small voice inside Lucius' head that told him it was wrong to torture his son in the way he tortured his enemies. This voice only angered the rest of him and made him more violent and resentful of Draco. Why couldn't the boy just see the light? Why was he forcing his father to treat him this way? He didn't want to treat his son this way, but he had to. He had to force Draco to understand what was right.
"I won't do it." Draco had risen to his feet and stood defiantly. He held his chin high, and Lucius realised that the boy was actually proud of what he was doing. He understood the full implications of what he was doing, and that was worse than if Draco had been acting out of misunderstanding.
"Oh yes you will." Lucius snarled "Whether you want to or not. And tomorrow Voldemort will be here to ensure it…" With that Lucius grabbed the boy by the front of his robes, and dragged him out of the office. He knew if he left the boy to his own devices he would just try to escape again. He had no choice. Draco was going to have to be locked in the dungeons…
Seamus was frustrated. He had told Dumbledore everything and had expected the man to react immediately. Instead he had sent for Snape and McGonagal, and Seamus had been forced to retell the lengthy story. Then the three teachers had sent Harry and Seamus from the room while they discussed the best way to deal with the problem. The two boys had been sitting waiting for their teachers to make a discussion for the best part of an hour. When the boys were finally readmitted to Dumbledore's office, the teachers merely told them the Ministry was going to have to be involved and sent the boys to bed.
That was how Seamus came to be pacing across the floor in the boy's dorm. Harry sat on his own bed and watched. He felt for his friend. He hated to see Seamus like this. He had also come to think a lot more positively of Draco and he hated to think what the other boy was being forced to endure. He knew the Slytherin could be stubborn, but even Draco could not withstand the sort of torment Lucius and Voldemort would extol. As the dim light of dawn broke through the gap in their curtains, both boys knew that someone would have to do something for Draco. Today would be the young Slytherin's last chance to escape from the evils of the Dark side. If he wasn't saved today, like Snape he would never be entirely free. Seamus looked over at Harry in desperation.
"I need to do something Harry" the other boy only nodded "I can't just leave him to deal with this on his own. I have to at least try." Silently Harry walked over to his corner of the dorm. He produced his broom and his invisibility cloak.
"Here." he said as he handed to objects to his friend "Take these. You will need them if you are going to leave the school. Do you know how you are going to find him?" Seamus shook his head.
"No, but I will. I don't know how, but something inside me is telling me that I will be able to find him, and that I will be the only one who can help him." Harry nodded.
"Go," he whispered, afraid of waking the other boys "he needs you and you don't have any time to waste."
Draco had never felt this helpless and alone is his entire life. His whole body ached, especially his arms. He could not believe the situation he was in. When his father had found him he had been afraid of what the man would do, but now he realised that he hadn't been afraid enough. He had thought his father would lock him in his room and attempt to brain wash him. In the back of his mind there had always been a voice which told Draco his father would never really hurt him. It appeared that voice had been wrong.
As soon as they had arrived home his father had marched Draco down to the dungeons. Even then he thought his father was trying to scare him. Lucius had begun a tirade about how ungrateful Draco was, and had told the boy that he owed his father much more respect. He had lectured the same old prejudiced views about fighting for what was right and good. As Lucius plundered his way through his admonishment he realised his son was not listening. He saw Draco glaring defiantly at him, and it angered the father. He struck Draco, and the boy flew across the room, slamming into the cold hard stone wall. As his head struck the stone painfully, Draco started to become concerned. He wasn't surprised his father had hit him. That was a common enough occurrence in their relationship. But never before had Lucius hit him quite that hard. Proud as ever, Draco had not allowed his fear to show. He now wondered if perhaps a little subservience would have earned him slightly more gently handling. It was doubtful.
Lucius had noticed his son's apparent absence of fear, and had interpreted it as a lack of respect. This had anger the man even more. The boy must have been stupid not to realise how serious this situation was. he had to be punished, and he had to be taught the right way to behave. It was for his own good. He had to learn how to make the world a better place. Lucius grabbed the front of Draco's robes and hoisted the boy to his feet. He didn't want to do this, but the boy had left him no other option. He ripped of Draco's robe and shirt, leaving him in just his trousers, and chained the boy to the dungeon wall.
Draco was unable to contain his fear any longer. This was not right. How could his father do this? Surely he wasn't serious? Lucius lectured the boy on what he expected, but Draco wasn't really listening. He was in a state of shock. This had to be a horrible nightmare. There was no way the last day could have really occurred. He kept hoping he would wake up and the whole situation would turn out to be a horrible dream. A voice in the back of his head told him this wasn't a dream, and as he watched his father's retreating back disappear behind the door, that one lonely voice grew louder.
As Seamus walked along the darkened tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow, a voice in his mind told him that the situation was hopeless. How was he going to find one lone, lost boy in all of England? How would he ever be able to find Draco before it was too late? In his heart he knew he had only a matter of hours. After that it would be too late, and Draco would no longer be the same.
Even as these pessimistic thoughts threatened to consume him, Seamus knew that he was the other boy's only chance. No one else would be organised and ready to fight for the boy before it was too late to save him. No one else would really care enough to try. Too many people, whether intentionally or subconsciously would allow the boy to endure this horrendous fate. Seamus was not going to let it happen. Even if the task proved to be colossal, he was going to try. Seamus was going to fight for the other boy even if no one else would. The combination of the dark and his distraction meant that Seamus did not notice the other individual in the tunnel until he had tripped over him.
"Lumos." As Seamus' wand lit, the prostate form of Dobby could be seen lying on the floor. Seamus groaned. This was all he needed. The world's most incompetent house-elf was getting in his way and distracting him. He didn't have time for this. He tried to move past the house-elf would not allow him to continue his journey. Seamus sighed.
"What do you want Dobby?"
"Seamus Finnegan must come with Dobby sir." Seamus couldn't believe it. He was trying to save his boyfriend and this house-elf was trying to stop him.
"I don't have time for this. I have to go find someone." He tried to push past, but Dobby wasn't finished with him yet.
"Harry Potter sent Dobby sir." Seamus was astounded. What had Harry been thinking? He of all people should have known how frustrating the house-elf was. "Harry Potter sent Dobby sir, because Dobby knows where Draco Malfoy lives!"
Seamus came to life with understanding. Why hadn't he thought of it? Dobby had been a slave to the Malfoys, so of course he would know how to get there. Harry had gone and found the one person who would be able to help Seamus on his quest, and Dobby would aid Seamus with unquestioning loyalty. As Seamus led Dobby out of the tunnel into the Shrieking Shack, he realised that maybe his quest wasn't quite as futile as he had thought.
Lucius stood in the front hall of his house wearing his best set of dress robes. Lord Voldemort would be arriving soon. He was coming early which was probably for the best considering the new 'problem.' Lucius was so ashamed of his son and he dreaded having to inform his liege of the problem, but if Voldemort couldn't set the boy right no one would. As he stood contemplating how he was going to explain his trouble with his son, Lucius noticed the air in front of him began to shimmer. As he stood watching, the form of Lord Voldemort appeared.
Lucius was slightly insulted. It was the height of rudeness in the wizarding world to apperate into someone's house even if you were expected. It was considered polite to knock on the front door and to allow you host to permit you into the house. Voldemort may be the descendant of Salazar Slytherin, but Lucius was a Malfoy. He belonged to a long line of respected wizards and witches, and he expected that even Voldemort would do him the honour of allowing him to welcome his liege to his house. Lucius bowed low and respectfully to ensure his resentment did not show. Lucius was a powerful wizard, but he did not fancy his chances against Voldemort, the most powerful wizard of the age. As Lucius rose from his bow, Voldemort raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I would have thought your son would have been enthusiastic to welcome a guest such as myself, even at this late hour." Lucius sighed. There was no avoiding the issue.
"There has been a slight problem…" as he led Voldemort into his sitting room he confessed his dilemma.
Harry sat in the common room feeling a little tense. How could he have let Seamus go off on his own like that? Oh sure he had sent Dobby to help the other boy, that that really only ensured that Seamus would find his way to Malfoy Manor, which in turn only ensured that he would find himself in trouble. He had been incredibly stupid. At least if Harry had of gone with him, he could have prevented Seamus doing anything too rash. As he sat contemplating his mistake, Harry heard the portrait hole creak open. He turned around and was surprised to see Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic standing in the doorway.
"Where is young master Finnegan?" Dumbledore queried. Harry looked away. He could not maintain eye contact with the professor knowing that he was at least partially responsible for the other boy's present predicament. Harry's lack of response seemed to be all that Dumbledore needed. He turned to the Minister. "We are going to have to do something now. Even if you believe that we shouldn't be interfering with the Malfoy's, we have a responsibility to look after this boy."
The other man nodded. They left the room leaving Harry alone again. He sighed. There ad to be something he could do to help the two boys. As he sat there he was struck with an exceptional idea. He rushed to his dorm to find a suitable object.
In the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, Draco's apprehension of the situation increased. How on earth has he allowed himself to become trapped in this situation? Surely his father would return soon and reveal that this was all just some horrible trick to make Draco submit to his father's will. Surely his father wasn't going to leave him chained to the wall all night. As he saw his father return he was momentarily relieved. Until he realised who was accompanying his father.
"Well, Draco, we meet again." Voldemort drawled with a voice that sent shivers down the young boy's spine. Voldemort was the only man Draco had ever met whom he found more intimidating than his own father. He shrank back against the wall in a vain attempt to move as far from the other man as possible. "I have returned and it is time for you to fulfil your promise."
"No." the word was whispered, but it was muttered with a determination that stunned both Lucius and Voldemort. Realising the power this surprise provided him with, Draco spoke louder "No. I won't do it. I will never become like that."
Voldemort quickly recovered from his surprised and smirk maliciously. The boy seemed to think that he had a choice in the matter. If he had allowed people to have a choice Voldemort would never have gained so many supporters.
"Oh yes you will." he replied "You may not realise yet, but you will soon. You don't have a choice. You don't get to choose who or what you become. You will be and do whatever I want. It is not only you, but the entire wizarding community who will soon realise this."
"I know enough to realise that your loyalty and control spells that accompany the Dark Mark are weak if the bearer does not agree to be party to your actions." Voldemort laughed at the boy's defiance. He really had no idea what he was about to endure.
"By the time I am finished with you, you will be wishing you had agreed to swear your allegiance to me. It will become the deepest desire in your heart." Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Draco. "Crucio."
