Chapter 19 Meeting the Enemy
Eric knew he was in a room of some kind. He had been twisted so many ways that he did not know which direction the castle was in. He could not be any farther away than Hogsmeade. If he could figure out how to escape than he could make it back to the castle.
Once again he walked around the room the room looking for some kind of door or something that he could use as an escape. There was no light in the room. Who ever the deatheater was had taken his wand. Otherwise he would just blast his way out. Eric wished he had the canister that Fred and George gave him. He could escape with anything he had in there.
Eric leaned against the wall. He hoped that Christine Lily was alright. He had not seen her at all on the pitch. His Uncle Harry and his Dad would probably be in Hogsmeade already. They would find him. There was no doubt about that.
Across the way he saw something open and something come in.
"Hello, Eric." The figure said.
The wizard flicked his wand and a lit candle centered itself in the room. He then lifted his hood. The wizard was slightly older looking with silvery blonde hair.
"Malfoy." Eric said.
"Yes," Malfoy said. "Now that I have you here I can take my revenge against your family."
"You know that Harry will find you." Eric said. "You know what will happen when he does."
"The thing that you must learn about that Potter is that he accomplishes things through luck nothing else. Remember I was in school with him."
"He beat you though." Eric fought back.
"Yes he did. But there was one thing I learned from the Dark Lord and that is the value of patience."
Hermione was walked towards the Hospital Wing by Ron. They knew the school well enough and took the paths that would be less crowded. When they reached one of the corridors that was when empty Hermione fell apart.
"It's alright." Ron said holding her. "We'll make it through this honey."
"I didn't want him to go through what we did." Hermione said.
"Eric will be alright. He's got my strength and your brains. He can find his way out. Remember he was smart enough to find his family."
Hermione nodded and got up. She dried her tears on a handkerchief before entering the hospital wing.
Madam Shawns welcomed them when they entered.
"I have the children in the far back. The twins are darlings. You should be proud of them." Madam Shawns said directing them towards the back.
Hermione opened the curtain. Two of the beds had been put together. On them were Christine Lily and the twins.
"Mummy." Molly said jumping off the bed to hug her.
"Darling." Hermione said hugging her.
"Have they found Eric yet?" Molly asked.
"Not yet." Hermione answered. "Harry is looking for him."
Elisabeth shook her head in acknowledgement. She still had her arm around Christine Lily.
Hermione took a seat on the bed next to Christine Lily. "Honey, can you tell me what happened?"
"Are you sure about this?" Ron said. "She should sleep."
Hermione shot him a look. "I want to know."
"It's okay honey." Hermione said.
"I was practicing a few loops on the broom. I went into the washroom I heard someone talking. I wasn't sure what they were saying. By the time I got out there he was gone. I found out from Carr on my way back that Eric had come out to watch me fly." Christine Lily dipped her head back down again.
"Did you tell your dad about this?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Christine Lily said.
Hermione nodded towards Ron. They both stepped outside.
"Eric might think Christine Lily is hurt." Hermione said.
"She's fine. She's just upset." Ron said confused.
"No," Hermione said. "They did not see each other on the pitch. If it was Malfoy that took him then he could use Christine Lily to get what he wants."
"What?" Ron asked.
"Eric has always had a strong sense of family. You've seen him. All Malfoy has to say is that he has her." Hermione explained. "If he would have seen her out there or if he says he has something valuable, Eric might give it away."
Ron's eyes opened to the realization. "Do you think Harry figured it out?"
"I hope so." Hermione said. "We'll have to get a message to him."
"How?" Ron asked.
"When he comes back or one of the other Aurors. We will be doing things his own way. That is how he works." Hermione answered.
"Then we will watch the kids until he comes back." Ron said.
"Where do you think Eric got his sense of family?" Hermione asked. "Harry told me he got it from you. Now I wonder if he got it from the spell. He could be in danger because of that spell."
Ron knew when Hermione was scared her mind would race around different thoughts.
"No, that spell saved his life and yours." Ron said. "He is probably still protected by the spell."
Hermione knew he was probably right and hugged him.
Harry had just completed walking around the Quidditch Pitch. The place was completely combed. Nothing there would help them figure out where Eric was.
Hagrid was going through the Forbidden Forest with those two friends of Eric. He knew that place better than anyone. Harry decided that would be the next best place. He took off on his broom to do an overhead.
His thoughts wondered to Christine Lily. The twins had immediately come to her side when they heard what happened. Harry had talked with her trying to figure out what had happened. All he knew was that it most likely was Malfoy that had taken Eric.
When he reached the forest he came down for a landing. Harry took his broom and hid it one of the trees then marked it. He did not want to walk around with and he could get to it fast enough.
Harry found one of the marking signs that Hagrid had left and followed it. Hagrid told Professor McGonagal that he would leave marks on the trees to mark which direction he would head and where he had searched.
The forest was very cold and dark. Wherever Malfoy was hiding would be enclosed and dry. That was sure. He thought about the spiders and other things in the forest. He wondered if he could run into a centaur that would give him a clue about what was going on.
Eric stood his ground against Malfoy.
"You are very brave." Malfoy said. "I must admit you were very hard to find. Your family did a good job of protecting you."
"Did you attack my mum?" Eric asked remembering the letter that Uncle Harry had sent.
"Yes," Malfoy said. "I reminded her that I was able to touch her once and I did it again. That was all. Did you know that she ran from your father?"
Eric was taken by surprise.
"After they tried to restore her memory your mum decided not to stay with the Wizarding World. In fact she told your dad to stay away from her."
"She wouldn't." Eric stated quickly.
"But she did." Malfoy said. "That was how I attacked her. I used her own memory against her. I am sure she is feeling guilt for that little memory. I only exploited it."
Eric did not say nothing he held his stance. He then remembered his own Bogart. His mother leaving the Wizarding World.
"The incident did keep your father south for a while. Allowed me to explore weaknesses to try to catch you." Malfoy then turned directly towards him. "I am sure your family told you all about the evil Malfoy family."
"It was mentioned." Eric retorted.
"Did they tell you about the end of their sixth year? When Professor Dumbledore died." Malfoy asked in an unnervingly soft voice.
"That you tried to kill him." Eric answered.
"Yes, I did. But I couldn't. Something that he said stopped me. I renounced the dark Lord after that. Did your Uncle tell you about that?"
Eric couldn't really remember if they did or not.
"I told them I wanted to help, but they didn't believe me. I was told that my dad, my mum and I should share a cell in Azkaban." One the last part his voice rose and he made a movement to kick something.
"Is that why you hired two wizards to attack my Mum?" Eric shot back.
"No," Malfoy said. "When I was younger I did have a crush on your mum. She wasn't pretty. I think it was because she wasn't scared of me like all of the others were. I kept it a secret. She never knew. I told her to run when deatheaters were attacking at the Quidditch World Cup. Your father was keeping her too close to danger."
"Is this why you brought me here?" Eric asked. "To tell me this." He resisted the urge to charge at him.
"Yes and no." Malfoy said. "I wanted you to know the truth not the sugar quills version that your family gave you. I told you a bit more than I originally planned."
"How did you escape from Azkaban?" Eric asked. The question just popped into his head.
"I am sure someone would be interested in that. I stole the wand off one of the guards. I then did a small spell on a fellow captive. You see there is a spell that can draw energy off another. Mind you it can only be done in small doses without the person knowing. It works best on Muggles. They don't expect it. That was how I was able to restore my energy."
Eric felt his anger rising. He had to keep it under control if he was going to get out.
"Do you know what it was like in the part of the prison? They drain all the power off the wizard. Not quickly no, it is a slow process. I had to regain the power that I was born with. I suppose it would be fitting to take the last bit of power that I need off of you."
Eric charged right then. He was able to duck a few blasts from Malfoy and jump him. The energy and strength that Eric had took Malfoy by complete surprise. He was able to knock him down. Eric immediately went for his wand hand. So long as he could keep his wand under control he could get the best of him.
Malfoy immediately tried to wiggle his hand free of Eric's grip. But Eric took the opportunity to take a strike at Malfoy's face.
They wrestled around on the floor trying to take advantage.
Eric then got a really stupid idea. He held Malfoy down and grabbed for the wand with his mouth. Once he got a hold of it he was able to yank it from Malfoy's hand.
The action seemed to take Malfoy completely by surprise. Eric got off of Malfoy and held the wand in both hands.
"Move and I will break it." Eric said ready to snap the piece of wood.
Malfoy made no movement.
"Where is my wand?"
"I have it." Malfoy answered. "With something valuable of yours. A first year with red hair."
Christine Lily. Eric immediately thought.
"Who?" Eric asked. "Say her name."
"Give me back my wand and I will let her go." Malfoy said.
Eric called Malfoy's bluff. He snapped the wand in half.
Malfoy charged again at Eric. But Eric was ready. He was able to knock Malfoy down. He then saw the door that he had been looking for. Malfoy had left it open. Eric ran out the door as fast as could.