Chapter Thirty One

Draco's Demise

"Oh, you've met before?" Hermione asked.

Harry managed to recover from his initial shock, grabbed Hermione by the elbow and steered her away.

"Ron, what are you doing!" Hermione complained. Harry ignored her and kept pulling her until they came outside the garden complex before finally letting go.

"Ron, that was rude! Why did you drag me out here for?"

"That was Harry, not me," complained Ron. "But I would have done the same. What the bloody hell are you doing with that git!"

"He's the one I was talking about, the owl pal I write to about my work—"

"Why didn't you tell us you've been writing to our partner?" Ron demanded.

Hermione appeared confused. "Partner? You mean Orion is your Auror partner?"

Harry rolled his eyes incredulously.

"As if you didn't know!" Ron accused.

"I don't! How would I know? You've never mentioned him."

"Never mentioned him? Hello Hermione. We've done nothing but complain about him since we started the Auror program. Weren't you listening?"

"You never mentioned his name!" Hermione cried. "You always called him git or Frenchie, or some other insult. How was I supposed to know it was Orion."

"Fleur mentioned his name the first time when we came home at the Burrow after Auror Exams," Harry said.

"Did she? I don't remember. I had other things on my mind that day and I rarely listen to that tart anyway. But the point is, I don't see what's wrong? So it was coincidence. Besides, I don't know what you have against him."

Both Harry and Ron balked. "What do you mean, what do we have against him?" demanded Ron. "He's the biggest prat next to Malfoy."

"And what has he done?" she challenged.

"Well for one, he's a pureblood snob. I'm surprised he hasn't wrinkled his horrid French nose at you. But well maybe he doesn't know that you're muggleborn."

"On the contrary Weasley, I am well aware that Hermione is muggleborn." De Lancre stepped behind them. "She mentioned it long ago. But I consider her one of the most brilliant minds I have had the pleasure of meeting."

Harry placed himself between his partner and Hermione. "Go away Lancry, this is a private conversation."

"Ron!"

De Lancre held up his hands in surrender. "I shall go for the sake of peace, but I must clarify something, Hermione." He looked at her intently. Harry and Ron eyed him with disgust. "I admit I had my prejudices before. You see I grew up in a home that has always held purebloods in high esteem and has regarded those with muggle blood as inferior. But when I read what you wrote and known you these last few months through your letters, I realized all those years I was mistaken. Forgive me. You are simply ze most wonderful and exceptional witch in the world."

"Oh, well thank you," said Hermione. She was turning a bright shade of pink. Harry and Ron were flabbergasted. How could she buy this!

"I shall leave you alone now, but I shall see you later, Hermione?"

"Yes, Orion. Thank you."

He took his leave and Ron and Harry glared at his retreating form.

"Well?" said Hermione, angrily.

"How can you be so gullible?" Ron asked. "Can't you see he's just doing this to get to us?"

"Excuse me?"

"He's obviously using you somehow. Did you tell him about us?"

"No, of course not. I've never told anyone about you." She glared at them. "Oh honestly! This is like Viktor all over again. Harry, please tell Ron, he's being silly. The idea is just so far-fetched."

"I agree with him Hermione," said Harry. "Lancry's a manipulative and discriminating prat. He's always been manipulative and discriminating and he's not likely to change."

Hermione was surprised but didn't seem fazed. "I think you're both just jealous of him."

"JEALOUS!"

"Keep it down. And yes, you're jealous. I've listened to all your tirades for months about him, but when I think about it now, I believe you're being a little insecure with the fact that someone's as good as you, or probably better in some things."

Ron could sense she had a point there, but he wasn't going to admit that. "Well why was he writing to you then if he didn't have any ulterior motives?"

Hermione gave them an exasperated look. "I told you, he read some of my work and he owled to ask a question. I've had other people write to me before. I replied to him just as I replied to others. Then we began writing to each other about my researches. We had never discussed anything personal. He never even told me how old he is. Likewise, I never revealed anything about myself except that I was muggleborn and British. It was in my bio as part of my research abstract. I've never even mentioned you."

"Well, he obviously sought you out on purpose! He wanted to find out what you're working on. Doesn't that creep you out?"

"Ron, my published work is readily available to anyone who would bother to pick up the journal at any magical library and bookstore in the country and read them. At least he did, unlike some people."

"We read your work, don't we Harry? Well, some of it."

"Copying my notes when we were in Hogwarts doesn't count," she replied haughtily.

"Well that still doesn't make him a saint," said Ron. "He's no good, especially for you."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Ron blushed. He thought maybe he should admit it, never mind if Harry had to hear.

"We just want to take care of you, Hermione," Harry blurted before Ron could say another word. "You're our best friend, we just want to make sure you're in not in bad company, that's all."

Hermione's expression softened. "Thank you. But I can take care of myself. Don't worry, I don't think Orion's after anything bad—"

"Look, let's just stop arguing, alright?" Harry abruptly said rather harshly. "We haven't seen you for a long time."

Neither Ron nor Hermione even got a chance to reply. Harry had pulled her back into the crowd where it was too noisy to carry on a decent conversation.

"Harry, I wasn't finished—"

"Well I am. I've had enough of this row."

"But Harry, I—"

"I don't want to hear it. Just dance with me, Hermione," he said in an almost demanding tone.

Ron was taken aback and so was Hermione. Harry roughly grabbed her hand and led her in the midst of the dancers. A slow romantic song was playing, but this dance was far from romantic. Harry was clutching at Hermione as if he wanted to break her but Ron was too much in awe of Harry's sudden temper to do anything.

What is with him? Ron asked himself, though he dared not say anything, fully aware that Harry was in one of his moods—something he hadn't displayed since the war.

The song ended and it was only then that Harry released Hermione from his vise-like grip. She stepped back and gave them a half-fearful, half-hurt look.

"Hermione—" Ron began.

She stepped back even more and shook her head, then she was off running away.

Ron made an attempt to follow her, but Harry kept him.

"Harry, let go! What is wrong with you?"

"She needs to be alone."

"What are you talking about? We need to talk to her. I need to talk to her."

"Not now."

"Why?"

"Weasley, we have to go."

"What now, Lancry?" Ron asked in irritation.

"Emergency. Moody needs us outside," replied their partner.

"Now?"

"Yes."

"But I have to talk to Hermione."

"I met her. I already made your excuses, now come."

"Come on Ron, we have to go."

Ron glanced helplessly into the direction Hermione ran to then let Harry follow de Lancre outside the complex where Moody was waiting.

"Team 2 got an anonymous tip just now on Malfoy's whereabouts," announced Moody. "They're about to go on assault. A flat at the White Chapel district. They need us there if it gets ugly. Here are the coordinates."

"Where's Tonks?" asked Ron.

"Atalanta wants her to sit this one out. She's staying behind to help with security for the Ball."

"But I thought her suspension was lifted?" complained Ron.

"That's what I figured too," said Moody grumpily. "I'll deal with that later. Right now we have to go."

He handed to them parchments with directions of the target house then they all apparated away.

They found themselves in a small busy street. Ron noticed a silvery glint move.

"It's the dilapidated flat on the right," whispered someone who was obviously using an illusion charm. "The one with the mahogany door. When your team's ready, Alastor."

"My team's ready for anything," replied Moody.

They set up illusion charms and positioned themselves. One Auror threw a transparent charm on the door and walls. It revealed nothing but darkness. She gave a tiny flicker of light, signaling that they were beginning the assault. The door burst open as the first of the Aurors came in. Nothing happened. They quickly moved into the dimly-lit flat, lighted only from the glow of a lamp post outside that permeated through the broken windows. For a long agonizing moment all Ron could hear was the sound of his and Harry's own beating heart. They needed to stay as rear guard while Team 2 went forward.

Without warning there was a piercing scream and an Auror collapsed to the floor, his illusion charm broken. A second scream erupted and another Auror fell. One by one the Aurors began to disillusion themselves and set up shield charms just as a dozen hexes came flying out of nowhere.

"Where are they coming from?" asked Ron. "It's too dark to see."

"Lumos!" cried Harry, while Ron held their protego charm. Harry shone their wand light forward and saw an awesome sight. Two elves were appearing and disappearing randomly between pieces of broken old furniture shooting spells at the Aurors with the speed and accuracy of trained combat wizards.

One elf sighted them and threw a spell their way. Ron veered left just in time as the spell smashed the wall behind them, opening one section of the room and allowing more light in. Harry quickly sent a spell towards the elf, but it had disappeared before being hit. Ron felt a prickling sensation and quickly turned around. The elf had materialized a few feet behind them and sent another spell that Harry managed to deflect in time.

"Bloody hell, they're good!" exclaimed Ron.

Somebody managed to smash another wall, causing enough light to stream in from outside. They could all see that they were in a living room with furniture as old and dilapidated as the rest of the house. They couldn't tell exactly how many elves were there. Ron was sure there were less than a dozen, but they moved so well that it was easy to imagine that there were more.

Something flew a few feet from them. Ron realized it was Moody. He crashed into a broken chair and lay unmoving. But Ron and Harry didn't stop to check on him. They shot a series of spells towards the elf that got Moody and one stunner managed to hit home. The elf collapsed, unconscious.

They followed another elf that materialized and was about to take shot of JD who was trying to deflect the spell of another elf.

"JD, behind you!" Harry shouted. He managed to deflect the spell aimed for JD, but a second spell caught JD's leg and he collapsed to the floor. Ron blasted the elf but it disappeared again into the air.

"Ahhh!" Ron and Harry both screamed as they felt the sting of a cut at their left shoulder. Several shots hurtled towards them and they had to dodge the spells, unmindful of the blood seeping through their robes. They shot a few spells back at their unseen attackers, when a bolt of light struck their right hand and it became numb. Ron, who was holding his wand on the right dropped, his.

"Protego!" Harry managed to say just in time as a spell came barreling in their direction before Harry could undo the paralysis hex on their right hand. Ron searched around for his wand but before he could even glance around a series of spells came their way and broke through the protection charm. Harry tried to ward them off with a series of spells using their injured left hand, but a shot from behind while he was dealing with a frontal attack disarmed him. A second shot caused their knees to buckle and they fell to the floor. A large elf appeared before them, his hands were raised and he smiled in an evil manner that Ron had never seen in an elf before. He uttered a spell and Ron braised himself for the hit. It never came. The elf was suddenly blasted away. Ron and Harry looked up to see de Lancre.

"Here Weasley, I think you need zhis!" He tossed them Harry's wand and removed the paralysis hex on his other hand.

Harry caught his wand and blasted another elf that appeared behind them but he missed. There appeared to be only a few Aurors left standing so the elves were focused on only a few targets. They couldn't find Ron's wand so Harry took over.

"Work with me, Weasley!" de Lancre shouted. "Or we are both dead!"

Harry nodded and they stood back to back for the first time with their partner. Together they were able to deflect the spells more efficiently and managed to knock down two more elves.

There was a brief moment of silence, then without warning several spells came hurtling from above their head.

"They are on the ceiling!" de Lancre shouted. "Aim there!"

Harry and Ron immediately launched a series of spells together with their partner towards the ceiling. Another knocked-out elf fell to the floor.

"Stop!" de Lancre shouted.

Harry sent two more spells before he followed. The spells stopped coming. The few Aurors still standing halted the assault and looked around.

"You think that's it?" asked Alicia from across the room.

There were about six of them still standing, Harry and Ron, de Lancre, Alicia, and three other senior Aurors. JD was still conscious though he seemed to have broken a leg so he was sitting up on the floor.

They listened carefully for several minutes. They shot a few more random spells, but when nothing happened, one the senior Aurors ordered everyone to check on the fallen ones. Everyone else appeared to be alive, just knocked out and badly bruised.

"Call back-up, Spinnet and inform St. Mungo's. You two," he motioned to de Lancre, Ron and Harry. "Stay here and guard the elves. Try to revive the others if you can. The rest of us will go search the house. Back us up if we need it."

Harry bound their elf prisoners in magical ropes.

"You think that will hold when they wake up?" asked Ron.

"Pray and hope that it does," replied de Lancre. One side of his head was bleeding and he looked just as filthy as they were.

Ron found his wand in the rubble and kept it at hand. They approached JD first to check on him.

"You alright?" Ron asked JD.

"I think it's just my leg. Whatever it hit me with broke my bones. I've never seen elves do that before," said JD.

"Who does?" asked Ron. "Who knew elves can be that brutal when they want to be."

"Or if their master wants them to be," added de Lancre.

One of the three senior Aurors, a fifty-ish looking man with gray hair came back carrying something in his arms. Ron realized it was dark-haired little a girl in braids who looked too frightened to struggle.

"I found her in one of the bedrooms. She seems to be alright, just a bit shaken." He set her down on the dilapidated couch, but when she saw the bound and unconscious elves, she desperately clutched back at the Auror who brought her out.

"There, there, it's alright," comforted the older Auror. "We'll get you back to your Mum and Dad soon." Place seems to be clear," he said to de Lancre, Harry and Ron. "The other elves are probably gone by now."

Another one of the Aurors came running back, looking pale and worried. "We found something I think you should see."

Ron, Harry and de Lancre, immediately followed her. She led them to another bedroom in the flat where the other Auror was standing with a lighted wand. There was a sickly smell inside the room.

"There, on the floor," the female Auror said hoarsely as if she was going to be sick.

Ron and Harry and de Lancre shone their own wand lights down. But as they did, Ron realized why the other Auror was cringing that way. The walls of the bedroom were splattered with blood and on the floor was the bloody remnants of what used to be a living person.

De Lancre kneeled near the corpse and examined it. "Burst arteries on the neck, ruptured internal organs," he said almost mechanically.

Ron managed to swallow his disgust and moved closer to the body. He caught sight of something that glittered near the hand. It was a large gold ring and on it was a family crest.

"Harry, isn't that the—"

"I know."

"I think," Harry said grimly. "This is—or was—Draco Malfoy."